Skyline
by Sapphire-Raindrop
Summary: Sophie was a toddler when she accidentally wandered into the Easter Bunny's realm. Although she doesn't remember the experience with any real accuracy, the feeling of magic and hope never quite left her, even as she grew up. Fifteen years later, Sophie once again finds herself in the Easter realm, but under very different circumstances.
1. Back Again

...HELLO!

So I saw this movie yesterday...needless to say, I couldn't sit still! I loved it! The animation, the characters, the story...sigh. I CAN'T GET OVER HOW AMAZING IT IS.

The only way I know how to express my adoration is to write a fanfiction, so here it is.

I spent all morning creating the story (stuff like plot, characters, etc) and then the rest of the day was spent writing this first chapter. Yeaaaahhhh and I have real homework to do on top of this. BUT IT WAS WORTH IT.

Just in case you guys are unfamiliar, Sophie is an actual character from the movie, so her name isn't of my creation, but my take on her IS mine, so she's basically an OC in all but name. I hope you like her!

**Before you begin**...this is not a romance story. I really dislike some of the stories I've already seen in this fandom that have Jack and an OC hooking up/having a connection in chapter one. I haven't decided if there will be romance (i enjoy romance as much as the next fangirl) but if there is, it will be GRADUAL, and not sappy or cliche. And while Jack is indeed a sexy Guardian, I'm not positive that he's going to be the love interest, so please...keep that in mind as the story goes on.

_**If you like it, have any questions or concerns and/or want more...**_

PLEASE REVIEW!

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~** Skyline** ~

a Rise of the Guardians fanfic

by _Sapphire-Raindrop_

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Chapter 1: Back Again

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"Aunt Sophie, Aunt Sophie, look what Santa brought me!"

Seventeen-year-old Sophie looked up from her book, and saw Jaime's first daughter – her name was Leah, and she had Jaime's bright brown eyes – brandishing a shiny flute in her direction. It was painted like a candy cane, and was dipped in white sparkles. Sophie set down her book and scooted off the couch to sit next to her niece. It was dark outside, and Christmas was coming to an end.

"It's so _pretty_! Can you play for me?" Sophie asked, and Leah nodded bravely, climbing into Sophie's lap and putting the instrument to her lips.

A piercing note filled the room, and Sophie cringed at the shrillness of it. She could almost see Santa Claus's beaming grin as he fashioned this particular flute, not caring how loud or annoying it was as long as its music was heard. Sophie sent a suspicious look at the fireplace, but decided to let it rest when Leah wiggled around so she was facing her aunt.

"Did I do good?" Leah asked, her little hands clutching at Sophie's knees. Sophie smiled eagerly, giving the three-year-old a tight hug.

"I loved it. How about you go show your Daddy? He's in the kitchen with Grandpa and Grandma," Sophie suggested, gently running her hands through the girl's tangled brown hair. Leah nodded, and staggered to her feet, still holding her flute tightly. The girl was about to run into the kitchen, but something made her stop.

Sophie frowned, peering around the child in order to see what was captivating her attention. But Leah was already running over to the Christmas tree, and so Sophie's view was blocked. Leah came back with something cupped in her hands.

"Aunt Sophie, look what I found under the Christmas tree!"

It was a glass ball about the size of an orange, with flecks of white floating around inside. It had various colors floating around – red, yellow, green, violet and blue were the dominant ones. Leah stared at it for a moment, and then plopped it unceremoniously into Sophie's hands. The blonde teenager stared at it, only barely noticing that Leah had departed, more interested in showing off her new toy than staring at a comparatively boring glass ball.

Sophie leaned back against the sofa, her long blonde hair falling over one shoulder – it was layered so that some chunks brushed against her jaw-line and others trailed down her shoulders and back. Sophie thought it looked cool, edgy even. But her mother called it "a goth punk sort of hairstyle", and had threatened to chop it off many a time. Sophie had managed to avoid that fate for as long as she could remember, and so she wasn't too worried.

"Why do I feel like I've seen you before?" Sophie breathed, and ran her fingers against the glossy surface of the snow-globe orb. The white flecks swirled slightly in response, and that shocked her so much that she nearly dropped it. But fortunately, she managed to keep her grip, and settled for staring at it in wonder. Something about it was terribly familiar, and brought back flashes of bright sunlight and vivid colors, as well as the feeling of thick fur against her hands.

A chocked feeling was filling her chest, threatening to burst free, and suddenly Sophie found that she couldn't sit still. She had to get some air…that would clear her head. Without further ado, Sophie got to her feet, marching over to the coat rack to get her thick winter parka. She slipped the orb into the shallow pocket, and pulled the garment on. She heard a series of shrill flute sounds, and giggled to herself as she made her way to the kitchen, poking her head inside.

Okay, maybe Santa was onto something there. It _was _pretty funny, seeing the forced smiles on the faces of the adults.

Sophie's mother looked over and smiled warmly. "Honey, where are you off to so late?"

"I'm just going to go for a quick walk, is that okay? I won't go far, just around the block," Sophie explained, looking to her father for confirmation. He shrugged, and looked to his wife, who also gave a small shrug.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Jaime asked, his eyes a little too willing as he got to his feet. His wife Sarah smiled knowingly, and reached over to touch her husband on the forearm, her short red hair glinting in the lamplight. Jaime turned to look at her, his larger hand casually fitting over hers.

Sophie smirked. "Oh no, I wouldn't want you to miss out on Leah's performance! Stay, I'll be back in a little bit."

Jaime sat back, defeated, and Leah took that as a sign to begin playing once more. Sophie laughed softly, and took her leave. The lights on the tree were glowing softly in the dimness of the living room of her childhood, and Sophie let her fingers trace the pine nettles.

The outside air was nippy, bits of snow whirling on the breeze, and Sophie huffed to herself, burying her face in her thick scarf. Her hair was picked up by the wind and pushed in the same direction she was walking, succesfully obscuring her dark green eyes. The full moon was large and glorious above her, silvery light shining over the entire neighborhood.

"Thanks, Jack," she muttered, pushing her hair behind her ears and trudging down the porch steps. The orb was warm to the touch in her pocket. Sophie waited until she was a few houses down before pulling it out. The moment the glass ball hit the icy air, the inside of it flashed blue, creating a beautiful snowflake that slowly spun.

"Woah," she gasped, and stopped in order to admire it better. Sophie put it back into her pocket, and she peeked inside. The color had faded, and it was the same as it had been when she had first held it – clear, with a few snowflakes and pulsing colors.

Okay, that was weird, she mused.

"Help me out, Jack, what is this?" Sophie said, pulling it out again and holding it out in front of her. There was no answer, no appearing of a white-haired boy, but Sophie hadn't been expecting such an event.

She had grown up with Jaime's stories of how he helped Santa, Jack Frost, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, and the Sandman to defeat Pitch – the spirit of fear, or something like that. Those figures had made up a crucial part of her childhood, and as she grew up, she got into the habit of referring to them or talking to them, even if they never actually showed up. They were real; Sophie knew that. But the children needed them more than Sophie did, and so she wasn't offended if they didn't make themselves known.

The orb glittered, and Sophie sighed, holding it close to her as she looked up. Across the street, there was a park where she and her brother had played when they were young. She always liked to go there when she needed to think, and so she returned her gaze to the orb, stepping down from the sidewalk and beginning to walk across the street.

_HONK!  
_

Her head whipped to the side, and immediately she froze. Yellow lights were filling up her world, and she could barely breathe. Why hadn't she looked across the street? The orb was heavy in her hands, and out of the corner of her eye she saw that it was glowing green.

Green?

Time seemed to slow – the car was almost on top of her – and she looked down, oddly calm. There were little rabbits hopping around in the glass ball, and the green color was blurred – was she crying?

"Bunny…" Sophie whispered without thinking, and suddenly the orb flashed green, blinding her–

Falling into nothing – a brief moment of agony – heaviness on her chest – the orb falling out of her fingers – crippling panic – silver light was pulsing in her eyes her ears her skin – falling falling falling – finally, cool blissful darkness.

* * *

Sophie opened her eyes. Her chest was heaving as if she had just run a great distance, and she coughed roughly, struggling to gulp in as much air as possible. The area above her head was earthy, and when she focused she saw that there were delicate roots dangling down from the top of the tunnel. Wait, tunnel?

Her hands were tangled in something stringy and cool, and a quick tilt of her head let her know that it was just plain old grass, albeit a bit longer than she was used to. The grasses smelled fresh and clean, a soothing scent, but Sophie wasn't about to let herself relax. She sat up, and frowned at the soreness she felt in her bones.

Sophie's parka was missing – in fact, most of her clothing was. She had left the house in a long sleeved shirt, parka, jeans and winter boots. Now, she was clad in a flowing silver dress that reached her knees and sported short sleeves and a modestly scooping neckline. Instead of pants, she wore a pair of silver shorts that were made of the same material as yoga pants. Sophie touched the skirt, and found that the material was very light and soft; it was like touching a feather. She was tempted to panic – who in the world had undressed her? – but she shook her head, and got to her feet. Modesty was the least of her worries.

Sophie's bare feet were completely encased by the grass, and she took a careful step forward. Her body still ached, but it was less so than before. The movement was clearing her brain, and she was beginning to remember details of what had happened. There had been a car about to hit her, and she had been holding the strange glowing orb…

But she had dropped the orb, and then she had been falling...

She looked down, and saw the glass ball lying innocently in the grass. It was glittering with all the colors, now, but green was the dominant light. She bent down, and picked it up. It was a solid weight in her grasp, and she held it close to her side.

Sophie began to walk, and put a hand on the wall of the tunnel to assure herself that it was real. It was firm and solid under her fingers, and she pushed off against it, making her way through the passageway. There was sunlight coming from the very end of the tunnel, and so she made her way toward it. In the back of her mind, she mused that since it was daytime, it _had _to be New Year's Day.

As Sophie went, she began to feel the strangest feeling of déjà vu, and had to stop a few times to assure herself that she didn't remember anything about this place. Nothing was familiar, and yet…it was, in a way.

If she tried, she could almost remember walking along the same path, only everything seemed much bigger and brighter in the memory. Was she just imagining that she had been there before, or was she actually drawing on memory?

Suddenly, a small pattering noise met her ears, and she immediately flattened against a wall, terrified. The sound was echoed in the tunnel, and seemed to be coming from every direction.

But then, Sophie felt something against her foot, and obviously she didn't know what it was and so she shrieked. She looked down, and what she saw made her deflate, her jaw dropping in astonishment.

It was a little egg, cute as a button – if it was even possible for eggs to be cute – with two spindly legs sprouting from the bottom. It was bumping against her, obviously trying to be aggressive and failing miserably. Sophie felt a smile twitching at her lips, and she hesitantly knelt down and picked it up.

"Hey there…do you know where I am?" Sophie asked, petting the side of the egg as gently as she could. The legs ceased their kicking, and soon it sat complacently in her hands. There was no answer, but then again, had she really expected one from an egg?

Sophie resumed her walking, continuing to stroke the egg as she went. The sunlight was close, and it was too bright for Sophie to see the outside. The tunnel was so green and dim in comparison, and the brightness made the blonde teenager squint. When she reached the block of light, she took a deep breath, and then stepped out into the sunshine.

It took her a moment or two to adjust.

Sophie was standing in an enclave that was greener than any green she had ever seen. Exotic and common flowers grew side by side in untamed bunches in the meadow, and a large arch led to another section, through which she could see gently flowing streams and waterfalls. The sun was shining brightly, and when the teenager looked up she could see that mossy trees surrounded the area. Several stone eggs, carved with care, rested next to the overgrown arch, and the sight of those made the information finally click in Sophie's mind.

"Am I…am I where I think I am?" Sophie asked out loud, and nearly screamed again when a drawling Australian accent sounded behind her.

"Is that you again, Ankle-biter?"

Sophie whirled around, and her eyes bugged and her jaw dropped for the second time in a very short span of time. But there really was no other way to greet the sight of a very tall, very dangerous looking bunny that was somehow standing on two legs as well as holding a boomerang. Oh yeah, and it could _talk_.

What had he called her? Ankle-biter? And he said that she was there _again_? But she had never been there before, how–

Wait a second…that explained it! The déjà vu, the memories of flowers and the fur of a large bunny...Sophie had been there before! But she must have been very young; how old was she when Jaime met Santa and all the rest? He had been nine years old, right? That would put Sophie at around two years of age when she wandered into the Easter Bunny world, if her math was right.

Swallowing her shock and her confusion, Sophie held out the little egg in one hand, and the glittering orb in the other. She was tempted to give in to her fear and break down crying, but with a great effort she pushed it back, and said the snarkiest thing that came to mind.

"Did you miss me?"


	2. Eggs and Icicles

Wow! I think that's the fastest I've EVER written a chapter!

I guess I'm just SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS STORY!

I had a bit of trouble writing Bunnymund, and so I'd really appreciate some feedback on my characterization!

I hope you all enjoy, and if you want more...

_**PLEASE REVIEW! **_

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Chapter 2: Eggs and Icicles

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The bunny seemed shocked for a moment, but soon was smirking, his ears flicking in her direction as he moved closer. Brilliant green eyes were sharp and aware, reminding her that while he wasn't fully human, he was no ordinary bunny either. He was the freaking _Easter Bunny! _Sophie had to discreetly pinch herself on the arm, just to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

"Now you've got a smart mouth on ya, eh? It really _has_ been a long time…fifteen years, am I right?" he asked, reaching out his paw to accept the little egg. The egg jumped up and down in delight, nuzzling up against the bunny's furry forearm. Sophie let both of her hands cradle the glass ball, and slowly nodded.

"I think so. I'm surprised you remember me…I was just a little kid, wasn't I?"

The bunny nodded, his free paw coming out to hover near the middle of his calf – or was that his knee? Sophie shook her head, and focused on the bunny's words instead.

"You were quite the little thing, you barely came past my ankles. But you didn't let that stop you, as I recall. You just picked up my eggs and marched in here like you owned the place."

Sophie looked down, nudging the grass with her toes. She knew that she had been an adventurous toddler – her mother never got tired of reminding her and everyone else in town – but facing off against the Easter Bunny himself? That was just obnoxious…

Sophie looked up to see the bunny staring at her curiously, his eyes sweeping from her head to her toes, settling on her face. She tucked her hair behind her ears, frowning at his intense inspection. There was something hiding underneath the tough expression on his face. It was a sad, knowing look that made Sophie's hair stand on end.

In an effort to distract the bunny – as well as to satisfy her own curiosity – Sophie held out her hand. "I don't know if you already know this, but my name's Sophie. Do you have a name, or does everyone just call you the Easter Bunny?"

The bunny only hesitated for a second before he closed the distance in between them and grasped her hand in his. His fur was surprisingly soft, and Sophie was forced to look up to meet his eyes – he was quite tall.

"The name's Bunnymund."

Sophie frowned. "Wait, Bunny_mud_?"

"No, Bunny_mund_. It's like Bunny Monday, but without the 'ay' at the end."

"Oh, that makes more sense," Sophie exclaimed, and firmly shook the bunny's paw. "It's nice to meet you, Bunnymund. Now…can you maybe explain how I got here? I was walking in the street, and I almost got hit by a car. I was falling, and then I woke up here."

Bunnymund released her hand, and clicked a claw smartly against the surface of the glass orb. "Well, here's your answer. North just can't keep these in his pockets, can he? Ugh…" he scoffed, plucking the orb out of Sophie's hands and glaring at it.

"My niece found it underneath our Christmas tree. What is it?" she asked.

"North gave it a fancy name, but I can never remember it. So let's just call it a snow-globe. It's a transportation device; if you say the name of the Guardian you want to see and then throw it, a portal will take you to their realm. You must have activated it somehow…did you say my name?"

Sophie blinked. "I said 'Bunny', because there were little bunnies jumping around inside…"

Bunnymund nodded briskly. "That'll do it. I'll give this back to the old man; he really needs to keep a better hold on his magical items. Imagine if some children had gotten a hold of it!"

Sophie watched as Bunnymund tapped the ground with one of his powerful feet. The ground around his foot sunk downward, creating a small hole. Without a moment's hesitation, the bunny dropped the snow-globe into the opening. Sophie gasped; the moment the ball disappeared, the earth swirled upward to fill in the hole, leaving no sign that it had ever existed.

"Uh, did you bury it?" she couldn't help but ask, moving forward to prod the area with her bare toe. It was as solid as the rest of the ground, and she looked up at the sound of Bunnymund's huff of breath.

"I can't decide if I prefer you as a little one…you were a lot quieter, then," he muttered, but continued. "I sent it along one of my tunnels that leads to the North Pole. It'll pop up near the yeti huts…they'll know what to do with it."

"Yeti? What's a yeti?" Before Bunnymund could respond, another realization came to her. "Wait, wait _wait_…you have a tunnel that goes all the way to the North Pole? How far is that? How many tunnels do you _have_, anyway? I…"

Sophie staggered back as a terrible coldness sunk in her chest, trickling down until it seemed to radiate from her stomach. There was something she was missing, something very important. She spun around so she was facing away from Bunnymund, staring at the immense world around her.

"What happened to me?" she breathed, her eyes flickering around, searching for something – anything familiar. It was all a blur of beauty, but no, it wasn't…those were just her tears. She blinked them back, and clenched her fists.

Bunnymund laughed, a half-hearted sound. "Crikey, slow down, will ya?"

Sophie ran a hand through her hair, staring at her feet. "I'm sorry. I just…I don't like not knowing things. I don't know why this North guy left it in my house, I don't know why seeing that _snow globe_–" Sophie waved a hand at the spot in the ground where the glass orb had vanished. "–made me crazy enough to want to go take a walk outside at night, and I don't know why I'm not injured…I mean…I got hit by a car, didn't I? And my clothes…" she trailed off, reaching down to trace the delicate beading that adorned the fabric just underneath the bust.

Bunnymund let out a heavy sigh, and Sophie jumped, surprised, when his paw fell on her shoulder.

"I think it's time to get you home, Ankle-biter," he suggested. Sophie blinked rapidly, whirling around to face the solemn Guardian.

"But I shouldn't be feeling this way! I adored you when I was little – heck, I still do! I had dreams about those colored eggs for years; I couldn't wait for Easter because I knew that you made those eggs so special for each and every kid! I…I shouldn't be feeling so lost…I should be _happy_!"

Bunnymund stared at her, his green eyes locking on hers for several long moments. Then, he turned, letting his paw fall from her shoulder as he backed up a few steps. His foot tapped the ground, and a much larger hole appeared. He wordlessly held out his hand.

Sophie walked forward, and took it. She took one last look around at the beautiful sanctuary; her gaze lingering on the stone carved eggs and the colorful flowers. It might be the last time she ever saw it, and so she wanted to soak in as much as she could.

Bunnymund gave her hand a gentle squeeze, and she nodded, reaching up to hastily wipe at her eyes. It was all going to be okay, she was going home.

"Okay, I'm ready," she murmured, and Bunnymund gestured for her other hand.

"You're gonna want to hold on to me, Ankle-biter."

Sophie cracked a smile through her tears. "Did you forget my name already?"

Bunnymund just shook his head, rolling his eyes. Sophie put her other hand in his, and on his count, they jumped into the hole together.

The journey only lasted a minute at most, but to Sophie it seemed much longer than that. The rich smell of mulch filled her nose as the walls of the tunnel blurred by, and the wind was rushing against her face with such force that she couldn't even look down to see if her feet were touching the ground. Bunny's grip was tight on her hands, and she could hear his easy, calm breathing as he pulled her along.

And then it was over.

Sophie was standing on firm snowy ground, and Bunnymund was letting go of her hands. They felt oddly warm, and she rubbed them together in an effort to get rid of the tingling sensation. They were behind a large arrangement of shrubs, and when Sophie looked around she saw that they were just behind the park across from her house. The familiar sight of her home sent a pang of relief through her, and with a smile she looked over at Bunnymund.

"Thank you so much!" she exclaimed, and impulsively rushed forward to hug him. He stiffened in surprise, and she pulled back just as quickly, smiling widely at him. "Not just for this…for being so nice to me when I came the first time."

Bunnymund's ears drooped slightly, and he gave her an awkward pat on the head. "Don't mention it, Ankle-biter."

With that, he hopped back into his tunnel, and the hole disappeared with a whooshing sound. Sophie stared at the spot for a moment, and then shook her head. With a laugh, she pushed past the bushes and began running across the empty playground. Her house lights were on, her mother and father must be home. Jaime was most likely home as well – he lived an hour or so away – and Sophie made a mental note to call him later.

Wait until he heard that she had met the Easter Bunny for a second time!

Sophie grinned in anticipation, and stopped when she reached the sidewalk. The street was bereft of cars, but she still looked both ways before crossing. It wouldn't do to have a repeat of last night, would it?

The teenager darted across the street, dodging the patches of ice littering the asphalt. It occurred to her that she should be freezing cold, but she chalked her lack of cold up to being really, _really _eager to get home – she would probably feel it in her feet later, once she settled down.

There were two young girls walking down the street, sleds in hand, laughing loudly. Sophie paused before starting up the porch steps, and raised her hand in a wave. She babysat them sometimes, when their parents went out of town for business.

"Hey, guys!" she called.

They didn't respond, but they were still a distance away. They must not have heard her, and so Sophie waited until they were a few feet away before waving again, moving forward to greet them.

"Are you guys going sledd–"

Before she could finish, the two girls walked straight through her. It was like she was made of air, but she could still _feel _them, in a way. Their bodies passed through Sophie like it was nothing, and their expressions didn't change in the slightest. They continued laughing, and Sophie was left gasping for breath at the strange sensation.

"H-Hey!" she stammered, turning and running after the two girls. They didn't so much as flinch at the sound of her voice, and Sophie felt her chest clenching in fear. They had to be playing a trick on her; it was all a game, right?

"Ren, Jillian, it's me, Sophie! Okay, you can stop playing games now, just stop and _look at me!_"

She was yelling by the end, and she lunged forward to grab their shoulders. But her hands passed through them, and her knees cracked against the sidewalk, causing jolts of pressure to rush up her legs. The girls walked on, oblivious.

"They can't see me…why can't they…?" Sophie sobbed, tears welling up in her eyes. She looked up at her house, and scrambled to her feet, backing away from the place that just seconds ago had seemed so welcoming. She imagined walking inside, her parents' eyes blank and unseeing even if she stood right in front of them. She didn't want to find out, she didn't want to see it – if she saw it, then it would become real.

"No, no, NO!"

With that, she was running, faster than she could ever remember running. The cold air should have been penetrating her very bones, but she didn't even feel it. It was as if she herself was separated from the cold, alone in her own world of warmth. She wished she could feel it, just to know that she wasn't going insane.

Sophie ran down the sidewalk, passing through people as they went through their daily shopping routines. The same shivering sensation came every time it happened, and each time Sophie felt herself closer to tears.

Eventually, she saw a very reflective shop window, and stopped in front of it.

She saw a slender girl clad in an airy silver dress that shimmered against the whiteness of the snow. Her hair was long and blonde, falling in rough layers to her lower back. All of that was familiar, but the rest…it scared her.

What had once been tan skin was now pale; she looked like a lost ghost. No wonder Bunnymund had been looking at her so strangely. But the most jarring difference was her eyes.

Sophie had always liked the color of her eyes. Her father said that they were the color of freshly grown grass, and made him think of spring. As a fan of the Easter Bunny, Sophie had always taken it as a compliment, and always worked to accent that particular feature.

But those green eyes were gone.

Sophie's eyes were silver.

"I'm dead, aren't I?" she asked her reflection, and turned away. The world was so much brighter and more vibrant, and she wondered if this was what happened to everyone that died. Had her grandmother been this way, too? Forced to wander the Earth, invisible to everyone she knew and loved?

"You're much calmer than I thought you'd be," a husky voice sounded behind her, and Sophie turned, her dress flaring around her knees as she did so. A lanky teenager with white hair and ice-blue eyes was balanced in front of her, his hooked staff serving as his perch. The shoppers bustled around and through Sophie, and she saw that the same was happening to the Guardian.

"Jack Frost," she stated, her voice as empty as she felt. This was her brother's hero, his idol practically, and all she could feel was mild surprise.

Jack sent her a quick salute, and jumped down from his seat, the snow flurrying a bit where he landed. He wasn't outrageously tall – if Sophie had to wager a guess, she would say that he was an inch or so taller than she was.

"It's okay to feel scared, Sophie. You just–"

Jaime's stories came back, and she interrupted him. "I just need to make it a game?"

Jack's lips quirked in a lopsided smirk. "In most cases, I would say yes to that. But I think this is a bit different."

"A bit?" Sophie bit out, and Jack leaned on his staff, staring at her silently. She crossed her arms, defiant against the knowing look in his eyes.

"Come on, let's go for a ride. There's some important people who need to talk to you," Jack said casually, holding out his hand. Sophie stared at it, and was once again reminded of Jaime. Jaime wouldn't have hesitated for a second; Jaime would have been brave.

Her throat tight with tears, Sophie took his hand. It was very cold, but not unpleasantly so. It was a pleasant change from the lack of sensation she had been feeling up until that point.

Jack slowly began to float upward, and shifted her hand so it was holding onto his staff. It was the same temperature as Jack, pulsing with energy that was piercing and sharp. Sophie gripped it tightly, feeling her feet leave the snowy. She refused to look down, and swallowed her terror.

She wasn't a fan of heights.

"Close your eyes, and hold on tight. I won't let you fall," Jack said, as if sensing her fear. Or maybe he could just see the uneasiness on her face. She had always been an open book, after all.

Sophie obeyed him blindly. "Where are we going?"

"The North Pole," he replied, and Sophie was almost surprised enough to open her eyes.

"The _North P–_"

But the words were sucked out of her chest; the boy gave a quick command to the wind, and suddenly they were flying so fast that it was all Sophie could do to hold on to Jack's staff.


	3. Welcoming Committee

Hello again!

First off...WHAT? 51 REVIEWS FOR 2 CHAPTERS? That's 25 reviews PER CHAPTER...good god!

I LOVE YOU ALL!

It's so nice to know that you guys like it!

Without further ado, here is chapter 3!

If you have any questions and/or comments...

_**PLEASE REVIEW! **_

* * *

Chapter 3: Welcoming Committee

* * *

Sophie didn't know how long the trip lasted, because her eyes remained dutifully closed. It could have been hours…it could have been minutes. The deafening roar of air in her ears lessened as she became accustomed to the sound, and besides that it was peaceful and quiet. The staff was solid in her grasp, and after a while she forgot that Jack Frost was flying beside her.

Sophie was alone in the sky, nothing but the wind pushing her forward and the coldness to keep her company. The teenager was grateful for the silence – she didn't think she could handle Jack trying to comfort her right then. She was content to exist solely in her mind, which was trying to come to terms with her situation.

Jack was right; she was much too calm. Maybe she was one of those people that repressed intense emotions, locking it away until they were ready to deal with it. Or maybe she was just numb; so shocked that everything seemed distant and dim.

Either way, she couldn't let it prevent her from functioning. Sophie wasn't the type to break down and cry in front of others. She loved taking care of people, but didn't like anyone making a fuss over her. Jamie called it "crazy mother hen syndrome", while her mother just called it "motherly instinct".

"Sophie, open your eyes," Jack said, breaking the haze, and Sophie frowned. The rush of air had stopped, but her feet weren't anything remotely solid. She shook her head, and heard Jack's light chuckle.

"Alright, suit yourself."

Sophie felt her feet touch ground, and immediately let go of Jack's staff. Her legs sunk in a few feet, and the sudden sensation cause her eyes to snap open. Disoriented, she promptly fell on her face in a pile of fluffy snow. She was up in an instant, sputtering and shaking her head so that it was free of the snowflakes.

Jack was standing beside her, a smirk on his face. Sophie looked down, and saw that he was standing on a cobblestone path that was coated with a sheet of ice that sparkled with all the colors of the rainbow. Huh. That was strange.

"If you had opened your eyes, you would have known to jump more to the right…"

Sophie huffed, and moved so she was on the path as well. Her bare feet were so pale against the ice, and she marveled in the lack of cold she felt. Her entire body felt comfortably neutral, which should have been impossible. The air was most likely frigid – snow was beginning to fall, Sophie could feel it sticking to her hair and shoulders.

"You're going to want to look up," Jack murmured, his voice indifferent. Then, he was past her, his footsteps nearly soundless against the icy path. Sophie looked up, and her jaw dropped with an audible gasp of wonder.

A glittering ice palace was towering over her, full of delicate spires and sturdy arches. But if she looked closer, she could see a fairly simple structure of wood, with square windows through which shone gentle golden light. But what was really caught her eye was situated at the very top of the palace.

Four ribbons of color were streaming from the palace, and within their depths shone rich shades of green, purple, gold, red and blue. As Sophie looked closer, she saw that there were little streaks of silver, but they kept fading in and out of sight. The colors stretched and weaved across the sky, and Sophie turned her head to follow their path across the heavens until they disappeared into the horizon.

Sophie felt a breeze blow against her, and she was assaulted with the spicy smell of gingerbread and the sharp tang of peppermint.

It was a familiar smell, one that invoked memories of waking up early on Christmas morning, running downstairs with Jamie. It brought back the feeling of anticipation when she began tearing through the wrapping paper, and the wonder she felt when she beheld her wonderful presents.

It also brought back memories of Christmas morning as a thirteen-year-old, sprinting down the stairs with that awful feeling in her chest. Santa hadn't brought her any presents that year…that was something she knew the moment she opened her eyes. But it didn't stop her from eagerly running down to the Christmas tree. She remembered sitting on the edge of the couch, watching her younger cousins ooh and awe, their eyes wide with wonder at the sight of all the pretty presents.

At first, Sophie had been angry. In their small town, she was the only teenager who still believed in Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and all the others. She still believed in Santa, why had he stopped bringing her presents? But in the years that followed, she began to understand that she didn't need Santa's presents in order to believe in what he stood for. His job was to care for the children of the world, and Sophie wasn't a child anymore.

Jack was calling her name, and the teenager hastened to catch up with the Guardian. The boy's teeth were pearly and white as he flashed a cocky grin.

"If you think the outside is something, just wait until we get inside…"

"But why did you bring me here?" Sophie had to ask, and Jack sighed, his breath a cloud of smoke in the air.

"After he let you go, Bunny ran to me and told me what happened. I went to find you, and Bunny went to alert the other Guardians. Santa called a meeting, which means that things must be pretty serious…"

"Is that what those strips of light are for? Calling the Guardians together?" Sophie asked, gesturing to the glowing arcs of color in the sky. Jack remained casual in his stride, but Sophie caught the flash of surprise that crossed the spirit's face, as well as the slight downward quirk of his mouth. He nodded, and Sophie's attention was drawn forward when the two reached a pair of immense oaken doors. Carved with intricate designs and gilded with gold, they were so magnificent that they could only mark the entrance to Santa's Workshop.

"Open up, old man!" Jack called, and tapped his staff smartly against the wood. It crackled and hissed, streaks of ice spreading across the warm brown surface and melting just as quickly. There was a large gong, and the doors slowly eased open. The smells of spice grew stronger, and a cool silence filled the air. It seemed out of place in such a place, and that made Sophie's hair stand on end.

Taking a deep breath, the blonde teenager followed Jack inside. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust, and when they did she let out another gasp, and rushed forward. A bubbling feeling of excitement rose inside of her chest as she twirled in a tight circle, head craned back to absorb as much as possible.

There were at least five levels, each immense and glowing with various tools and benches. Strange mechanical creations resembling birds, whales and sea turtles were lazily flying around the central pillar, which rose as high up as Sophie's gaze could follow. Bright candles and various lanterns lit the place up, and glittering powder decorated nearly every surface.

Santa's workshop was quiet and bereft of life, which Sophie hadn't been expecting, but that didn't make it any less magical. Her long hair settled over her shoulders as the breeze ceased – the doors had shut behind them, shutting out the sounds of the storm brewing outside.

"Wow…" she breathed, and turned to see Jack perched effortlessly on a precarious banister. His staff dangled from his thin fingers, and the golden lights reflected off of his snow-white hair. His blue eyes were locked on the very top of the shop, and with a slow tilt of his head, he spoke.

"They're all here. Are you ready?"

Sophie stared up at the same spot, imagining the Guardians…all gathered together in one place. She vaguely remembered Bunnymund – spending time with him had prompted other memories to resurface – but the others were complete blanks in her memory. Jack Frost was Jamie's idol, and so he didn't really count.

Suddenly, that same energy that had prompted her to run outside of her house came again, and Sophie was running toward the nearest set of stairs. Her legs pumped furiously, and she heard Jack calling out something, but she stubbornly blocked it out.

On the very top level were the Guardians who might know why she wasn't completely dead. They might hold the key to figuring out why she couldn't feel cold and why her eyes had turned an unnatural shade of silver.

No, she wasn't ready. But she was _never_ going to be ready to hear about her death, and so there was no point in delaying the inevitable.

Sophie was nearing the top level now – voices could be heard, varying in tone. Only a few more steps…three more…two more…she was there! The girl staggered across the threshold of the central floor, and eight pairs of eyes swiveled to lock on her, all conversation ceasing.

Santa Claus was standing at the back of the group, but he was so tall and imposing that it didn't matter. His hair was as white as Jack Frost's, his beard brushing against his chest. Salt and pepper eyebrows arched over light blue eyes, and on each of his burly arms were elaborate tattoos. Upon closer inspection, Sophie realized that they read "Naughty" and "Nice".

A beautiful winged creature that could only be the Tooth Fairy hovered beside Santa. Her large violet eyes were wide, slender fingers held to her mouth as she beheld Sophie. Glossy feathers covered her entire body except for the lower half of her face and her hands. The Guardian's wings were fluttering so quickly that they were a mere blur, and Sophie was immediately reminded of a humming bird. This connection was accentuated by the fact that the woman's head kept tilting from side to side, as if she couldn't bear to stay still for too long.

On Santa's other side was a squat little man who was entirely gold, with equally golden eyes and hair that defied gravity in the form of defined spikes. Warmth and gentleness exuded from Sandman, his smile soft and lingering.

And then there was Bunnymund, the legendary Easter Bunny. To most, he probably seemed intimidating – what with his fierce expression and lethal boomerangs – but all Sophie felt when she looked at him was a bubble of safety. She remembered the tenderness of his grip as he guided her as a toddler, the rush of wind from atop his shoulders and the gruff twang of his voice. His bright green eyes were watching her carefully, and he gave Jack a quick glance before returning his gaze to Sophie.

"We–" the bunny began, but Sophie vehemently shook her head before he could continue, lifting her hands to stop him. The Guardian frowned, but consented, falling silent and stepping back to join the Sandman by the railing. Santa was staring at her, and she met his gaze, a watery smile tugging at her lips.

"I…I always believed in you," Sophie whispered, spinning to include all of the Guardians in her acknowledgement. The Tooth Fairy smiled, perfect teeth flashing. Bunnymund's ears drooped slightly, and the Sandman beamed at her.

Sophie cleared her throat, finding it hard to continue. "You all mean so much to me…and yet I never actually _thought_...I n-never thought…"

Wetness flooded Sophie's eyes, and her throat tightened. Her words trailed off into the silence. The Guardians of her childhood stared back at her, all of them blurry as a result of her tears. They were so wonderfully _real_, and that made the tears come even faster. Sophie didn't bother holding them back, and laughed through her tears. In that moment, she didn't care that she was making a scene.

Throughout her years as a teenager, her peers had mocked her for her continued faith in Santa Claus and all the rest. Most didn't even know who Jack Frost and the Sandman were, much less believe in them. They called her "silly" and "childish", and it had hurt. Sophie eventually stopped talking about them with anyone her age and older, with the exception of Jamie.

But even when she was in that sad state, she couldn't bring herself to lose faith in the Guardians. No matter how hard she tried to stop believing, her heart refused to let them go. Every night she would look up at the sky and imagine Jack Frost darting across the sky, running his fingers along Sandman's dream-sand and laughing. She would look out at the forest across the street and if she tried hard enough, she could almost see the Easter Bunny running along, fast and fierce. Santa was safe in the North Pole, and the Tooth Fairy was busy collecting the teeth of children all around the world.

They were there…just not for Sophie's eyes, not anymore.

Sophie reached up to wipe her eyes, and once again was reminded of the paleness of her skin, the unnatural energy that constantly flooded her skin and made her impervious to cold. She looked up, sniffling, and saw that the Tooth Fairy had slowly begun to inch forward, and was reaching forward toward her face.

The fairy's soft hand rested against Sophie's wet cheek for several long moments. Vivid violet eyes scanned Sophie's face, and her fingers soon moved to stroke the girl's long hair. The Tooth Fairy didn't say anything, but her unhurried silence was enough. It gave her the strength to ask the question she desperately needed an answer to.

"Why am I here?" Sophie asked, barely loud enough to be audible. Her stomach clenched with the fear she had been blocking out until that moment, and it nearly made her start crying again. The Tooth Fairy's brow furrowed, and she looked to Santa as well. The man was gazing at Sophie solemnly – the expression looked quite out of place on his cheerful face.

The stillness might have continued for a longer period of time, had Bunnymund not let out a harsh sound of impatience.

"Just spill it, mate. There's no use in beating around the bloody bush. She deserves the truth."

"Bunny is right. Sophie, she has been through enough as it is," Santa declared, and Sophie blinked in surprise. One, the one and only Santa Claus knew her name, and two…he had a Russian accent! How had Jamie forgotten that little detail when telling her of the Christmas oriented Guardian?

Santa went on, "Last night, I was in office, making ice sculpture, when Man in Moon suddenly spoke to me. He said, 'On New Years Day, welcome another'. I look down, and this is what I find in my hands. I meant to make train, but instead…"

The man reached behind him, and brandished an ice carving that was the size of his forearm. He strode forward, and placed it on the podium situated in the center of the room. Sophie blinked as a beam of sunlight hit it and brought the details into perspective.

The ice was shaped to represent a slender girl with long, roughly layered hair and a knee-length dress. The girl was cupping something indistinguishable in her hands, eyes closed and lips forming an encouraging smile.

It was a sculpture of Sophie, down to the dimples on her cheeks and the subtle scar on her right knee. The teenager frowned, taking a step back and glancing over at Bunnymund. The bunny inclined his head.

"When people truly die, Ankle-biter, they don't come back. _You_ came back because you've been chosen. You're not dead…you're a Guardian."


	4. Only Time Will Tell

Hello, lovelies!

So I'm in the middle of finals...and yet I have written a chapter, with time that should have been spent studying.

I'm a terrible role-model.

So here's the next chapter! It's pretty short, but I think it's packed full of info, so it's pretty important!

Again, let me send out a bunch of thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far, I'm beyond surprised at how many reviews this story's gotten so far! Keep it up!

**Special thanks: **A shout out to _J.M. Friday _who was kind enough to take a look at Bunnymund's dialogue for this chapter, to make sure it was authentic in terms of the Australian accent. She has a new Legend of Korra fanfiction out, called "**Blood and Water**", and it's awesome, so you should all check it out and send her lots of love!

Okay, here we go! =D

If you like this chapter and want more...

_**PLEASE REVIEW! **_

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Chapter 4: Only Time Will Tell

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"You're joking," Sophie blurted out, taking a few steps away from Bunnymund until her legs touched the railing. Jack floated dow from his staff in order to sit on a table, his white hair shimmering as he went.

"Sophie–" the frost spirit began, but Sophie shook her head fiercely.

"No, there's no _way_ that I'm a Guardian! There's already five of you…why on earth would there need to be another one? What would I be, the Guardian of _Halloween_?" Sophie asked incredulously, putting her hands on her hips.

The Tooth Fairy coughed lightly into her hand. "Actually, Halloween is under the Witch Clan's jurisdiction, so…"

"Tooth, not helping," Bunnymund muttered. Tooth huffed, mumbling an incoherent retort and folding her arms across her chest. A humming sound was heard, and Sophie spotted a tiny, brightly colored hummingbird-like creature – it could only be associated with Tooth – hovering around Jack. It examined Sophie with purple eyes, little wings pumping furiously to keep its body afloat. To put it simply, it was the most adorable thing Sophie had ever seen. She clenched her hands into tight fists, quelling the urge to reach out and touch it.

"See? There's no way that the world could _possibly_ needanother Guardian. There must be some mistake," Sophie asserted, flicking her hair over her shoulders.

"The Man in the Moon makes no mistake, Sophie. You are Guardian!" Santa boomed, beaming brightly and smacking his stomach to emphasize his point. Bunnymund rolled his eyes at the man's exuberance, and Sandman gave Sophie two thumbs up. Tooth clapped her hands happily, flying in a small circle in order to better express her delight.

Sophie looked to Jack Frost, and found that he was the only Guardian who hadn't reacted to Santa's declaration. He was sitting silently in his seat, leaning against his staff and staring off into space, appearing almost bored.

Sophie returned her focus to the other Guardians, and ran her hands through her hair. She wanted to continue denying that she was one of them, but from the determined expressions on their faces, she decided that it was a lost cause.

"Can someone just explain howI got to be like _this_?" she pleaded, gesturing at her eyes as well as her silver dress. The Guardians quieted, then, and all of them turned to Jack Frost at the same time. The white-haired teen leaned more heavily on his staff, and, without looking at Sophie, began to speak.

"I was creating a snowstorm in Northern California when the wind suddenly spoke to me – I've always kept tabs on your town, Sophie, because it's where I lived as a human. Anyway, the wind told me to go home, because something was about to happen. I listened, and came as quickly as I could. But by the time I got there…" Jack paused for a long moment, and then continued, "…the car had already hit you. Before I could see if you were okay, North's globe activated, and you were gone. I alerted the others, and we searched our respective areas for signs of you. There was nothing. Six days passed, and still…nothing."

"But last night, I get message, and we begin to wonder if you would reveal yourself, as Jack did when he was brought back by Man in Moon," Santa added with a great sweep of his hands – Sophie realized with a jolt that he was the 'North' figure that the Guardians kept referring to.

It was North's orb that had gotten her outside in the first place; it was North's orb that had distracted her enough to make her forget to look both ways before crossing the street–

"Then, this morning, you come stumbling out of my tunnels, holding North's snow-globe. I knew–"

"_Snow-globe_? Is not _snow-globe_, is 'explosively magical sphere for safe and instantaneous transportation'!" North interjected, his prominent brows shooting upward. It was then that Sophie noticed that the snow-globe in question was resting on the center podium, next to the ice sculpture. It glittered innocently, and in that moment Sophie wanted nothing more than to take the nearest heavy object and smash it to pieces.

Bunnymund rubbed his paw against his temple for a moment before continuing, as if North had never spoken.

"I knew from the moment I saw you that you weren't human anymore. I shoulda told you straight away, Ankle-biter, but I just..." Bunnymund trailed off, shrugging his shoulders, ears drooping slightly.

"You…you _knew_?" Sophie breathed, her attention torn away from the snow-globe. "You knew, and you didn't tell me? You just let me go, _knowing_ that no one would see me? Why would you _do_ that?"

Sophie's voice wavered dangerously, echoing in the circular chamber, and she swallowed the heaviness in her throat.

"Would you have believed him if he told you?" Jack asked, his ice-blue eyes searching her face. Sophie heaved a great sigh, sliding down so that she was sitting on the floor. She tucked her knees up to her chest, not caring if she looked like a pouting child.

"…No," Sophie grudgingly admitted, resting her chin on her folded arms. Her eyes studied the swirling grain of the wood floorboards with a detached sort of interest. She was struggling to sort through the sudden outpour of information, and her eyes wouldn't stop stinging with unshed tears.

"I can't go back home, can I?" she asked quietly.

It was mostly a rhetorical question. Sophie knew that she wouldn't be able to see her family again. She wasn't naïve; she knew that if she did, it would only confirm that she was invisible to them. It would break her heart.

If Sophie had been looking up, she would have seen Jack open his mouth as if to speak, only to be silenced by the stern wave of North's hand. She would have seen the two glaring at each other, along with Jack's scowl as he reluctantly sat back. As she was currently staring at the ground, Sophie missed the entire exchange.

"It's for the best," Tooth murmured, her hands light on Sophie's shoulders. "Letting go is the first part of becoming a Guardian, Sophie."

"Says the person who collects teeth so that children don't let go of their memories," Sophie mumbled, still staring downward – her gaze had switched from the floorboards to her bare feet. The beautiful winged Guardian didn't respond right away, rubbing Sophie's upper back tenderly, in a way that reminded Sophie of her mother.

"But you're not a child anymore, Sophie. You're a Guardian. And I'm not saying that you should _forget_…no…we _all_ have our past lives. Every one of us has a beginning, and it would be foolish to forget those beginnings. But as a Guardian, we have to be willing to put those memories in their place, in order to wholly commit ourselves to the children of the world. We have to let go of who we were, and focus on who we _are_."

Sophie sniffed loudly, and hastily scrubbed at her eyes, forcing herself to stand. It took more effort than she was used to, but she managed it. Tooth's hands slid from Sophie's shoulders, and the blonde teenager rubbed her face with tired hands.

"But how am I supposed to let go of who I was, if I don't know who I'm supposed to be? I was 'chosen', but no one knows what I was chosen _for_…"

"Not all of us started out knowing what we were supposed to do, Ankle-biter. I mean, crikey, after _I_ was chosen, it was at two or three years before I figured it out," Bunnymund explained, leaning against the center podium with a small smile.

"And Bunny didn't have _us_ to help him," North boomed. "It will be piece of pie, with all five of us here to help! You will see!"

Somehow, Sophie wasn't inclined to be as optimistic. Her head ached, and her eyes smarted. Everything seemed heavy, like the world was slowly depositing all of its weight on her shoulders. She blinked slowly, finding a sort of solace in the way her vision blurred with tears. It meant she didn't have to look at North's smiling face anymore; she could just let the fuzziness consume her.

Sophie slowly walked toward the center podium, staring at the ice sculpture. It was a hazy sight, and if she tried, she could imagine that the figurine was some other girl. Someone else was the new Guardian, not Sophie. Sophie didn't want to be a Guardian…she just wanted to go home.

"Sophie, are you alright?" North's voice seemed to come from a great distance, and it was with a great effort that Sophie met his gaze. But instead of being steady, his face kept moving all over the place. In fact, when she turned to look back, all of the Guardians were slowly spinning…shimmering and glowing, even.

Huh. That was definitely unusual.

The tiredness in his bones seeped through to her muscles, and her eyes rolled into the back of her head as her legs lost all of their strength. A heavy sigh escaped her chest as her knees buckled. And then, she was falling.

But only for a moment or two. A familiar pair of furry arms caught her, supporting her head and cradling her close. She felt her eyelids flutter open for a second, and she stared up at a bewildered Bunnymund. He was saying her name over and over, asking her what was wrong, but Sophie couldn't answer. She was too…_tired_…

Her eyes closed once more.

Tooth, North, and Bunnymund all started talking at once, their voices rising and blending together until there was no distinction between speakers; it was just one irritating storm of _noise_. Sophie wanted to shout at them to shut up, but her body wouldn't listen to her.

Suddenly, Jack's voice arose from the shadowy fatigue, effectively silencing the confusing roar of noise.

"Calm down, it's just a side-affect of the transformation. Her body's still adjusting to the change; it happened to me, too. If the process for her is anything like it was for me, then she should have these weird moments of weakness for a week or so."

"Oh, thank goodness!" Tooth's exclaimed, and Sophie felt a soft, slender hand brush against her cheek. North's voice sounded again, and Sophie leaned her heavy head against Bunnymund's chest, reveling in the sheer amount of heat the Guardian exuded. His fur was soft, and smelled fresh and green, like an early spring morning.

"So, who will take Sophie for time being? She obviously needs time to accept what has happened," North commented, and two voices spoke at once. One was Bunnymund – Sophie could feel the rumble of his chest when he spoke – and the other was husky and low…Jack Frost? Luckily, Bunnymund's voice drowned out the other, so Sophie didn't have to think about it for long.

"I'll take her, mate."

"Now hold on a second, Rabbit–"

"Do us all a favor and shut it, Frosty. You really think that flying around the world will do'er any good? No, right now, she needs to be _away _from the human world. I'll keep her busy in the Warren – now that bloody Christmas is over and done with, I've got plenty of eggs that need to be decorated."

"Ah, that is good plan, Bunny," North mused, and Sophie felt Bunnymund's arms tighten around her as he stood up. The sudden movement made her head clench, and she whimpered, the pain enough to make her eyes snap open.

Bunnymund was looking down at her, but another face was staring at her also. It was the warm and round face of Sandman, and he smiled at her before wiggling his fingers. She frowned, blinking rapidly so that his face wasn't so blurred.

"…What?" she asked, and Sandman pointed at Sophie, then mimed falling asleep, waving his hands so that a bit of golden sand appeared at his fingertips. Ah, so he was offering to put her to sleep with his dream-sand…how kind of him…

Sophie smiled gratefully. "Please."

The Guardian placed a small hand on her forehead, and Sophie felt the gentle warmth of his touch for a split second before she slipped into blissful unconsciousness.

Sandman was merciful, and didn't send Sophie any dreams. For this, she would be grateful; if she were allowed to dream, she would undoubtedly dream of the home she no longer had.

Allowing her that last bit of comfort would have been terribly cruel, because eventually, she would have to wake up.


	5. Seasons' Greetings

****Hello everyone!

I had a bit of a hard time getting this chapter started - it's hard when it's just Sophie, because since she doesn't talk to herself there's practically no dialogue - but it definitely got easier as I got into it! =)

**A bit of a warning, **a new character is thrown into the mix in this chapter! He's not a huge character, so don't worry about seeing him again anytime soon! I had SO MUCH FUN writing this guy, he's awesome! His entire job/appearance/personality is ALL MINE, so he's practically an OC. He's like Sophie - they're both mentioned in the movie, but their personalities are from my brain, so they're practically my own characters.

I'm feeling a bit iffy about how I handled the last half of this chapter, so some feedback would be lovely!

**A big shout out goes to** _Cocoa Jamboree_**, who is the 100th reviewer for this story!**

You guys are all awesome, though! I love you all to pieces! 3

If you have any questions, comments and/or want to see more...

_**PLEASE REVIEW! **_

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Chapter 5: Seasons' Greetings

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Sophie walked aimlessly, not really caring where she was going. The grass was soft and firm under her bare feet, and bright flowers were in full bloom all around her. A soft breeze blew, and with it came a flowery, green scent. That didn't surprise Sophie; the Warren was the epitome of green and flowery. It was untamed, beautiful, and full of surprises. The sun was drowsy and warm against Sophie's skin, and she tilted her head up to soak in the rays.

It had been four days since she had arrived at the Warren. Every one of those days had been plagued with numerous spells of weakness, and those lasted for hours on end. Not only did they make her weak, but they also induced excruciating headaches, so powerful that they radiated throughout her entire body.

The pain was great enough to make Sophie want to scream. But she couldn't scream – her body was too weak to manage that. All Sophie could do was lay where she fell, praying for the spell to end so she could curl up and cry herself to sleep.

The spells of tiredness would only last a week…that was what Jack had said up at the North Pole. But he hadn't mentioned the pain, the radiating agony that started at her head and spread like a plague. Surely he wouldn't simply forget to mention that part of the process. The pain only got worse as the spells continued, and Sophie just wanted it all to end.

Bunnymund had been giving her some much-needed space, and so he wasn't aware of how often the spells occurred. She did her best to hide it from him, but she had a sneaking feeling that he knew exactly how much pain she was in. He never said anything, and didn't pry as Sophie expected him to. Sophie was both grateful and resentful of his silence – grateful, because she hated people doting on her, and resentful, because she didn't like how utterly alone his silence made her feel.

Sophie couldn't stop thinking about her family. Jamie no longer had anyone to reminisce about the Guardians with. He would never know that Sophie had visited the North Pole, that she had flown with Jack Frost himself. Little Leah would ask about her aunt, innocent and oblivious, unable to comprehend that Sophie was dead. Sophie's parents…they would never scold Sophie for not cleaning her room, they would never hold out their arms for her to fall into, they would never say how much they loved her.

Everything Sophie once had was gone.

Feet began to quicken their pace, arms began pumping, and suddenly Sophie was running. She didn't look back, focusing on keeping her footing on the slippery grass. Her breath came quickly, her hands clenching into fists and her dress fluttering around her. The air seemed to be pushing her along, whispering through her hair and urging her faster and faster.

Sophie poured everything into her feet; her terror, her grief, her pain. Even her feelings of wonder and awe, even the positive emotions that didn't cripple her. Sophie didn't care. At that moment, she needed to be rid of everything that tied her to herself. She needed to be someone else, and as she continued to run, it became easier to imagine that she was in fact a different person. Her heavy breathing calmed, and her legs ceased to burn. She was moving much too quickly now, the world around her blurring into a sea of green. She no longer worried about losing her footing, and relished the cool dew that wetted her feet.

The roar of running water filled the air, and Sophie blinked, slowing to a walk. She was atop an immense waterfall, watching the clear water rush by and plunge over the cliff. A large, deep pool resided at the base of the waterfall, and from there it fed into another river. The river meandered around a collection of boulders before disappearing into a gaping sinkhole.

Sophie's vision spun – she was very high up, too high for her liking. Even so, she couldn't look away from the pool. It was hypnotizing, and the feeling of queasiness only added to Sophie's discomfort. The teenager choked back a sob.

"Why me?" she whispered, her eyes searching the clear waters. The only response was the rumble of the waterfall, and Sophie sank to her knees, pounding her fists against the grass. She wrenched her gaze away from the pool and sucked in deep gulps of air.

"I've believed in you all my life," Sophie whispered to no one in particular. "I've put my faith in you…so dammit, I deserve an explanation! Why am I here, why am I like this?"

Nothing. Not a snap of a twig, not a particularly energetic breeze. Nothing at all, and Sophie cried out in frustration. No matter how much she begged, no matter how fervently she prayed, no answer ever came. Would she ever understand, or was she doomed to wander the world until she discovered the answers for herself? How long would that take? Decades? Centuries?

Sophie wasn't sure she wanted to live this way; frozen in time, never moving forward and unable to revisit her old life.

Could Guardians be killed?

Her eyes snapped open, the thought slowly trickling into her mind. Maybe if she got a stone, and tied it to her chest, she would drown. But did she really need to breathe? Were Guardians above such human necessities? Sophie had noticed in the past few days that she didn't feel the desire to eat or drink, nor did she need to use the bathroom. Could it be that she didn't need to breathe, either? Well, the only way to find out was to–

Oh god, she was really considering it!

Sophie staggered to her feet, gripping her head in between her hands. No, she had been given another chance to live, how could she possibly want to kill herself? Normally, people didn't get a second chance, and yet Sophie was being given one. It would be selfish to throw it away to escape a bit of pain – no matter how terrible said pain was.

She needed to find Bunnymund; she needed to make sure that she wasn't going crazy. The Guardian had said that if she needed to find him, she should go to the central meadow, where the giant stone eggs were. He was usually there, sketching out decoration patterns for this Easter's batch of eggs.

Sophie turned, but froze before she could take a single step. The now familiar feeling of weakness was tingling up her spine, immobilizing her. She swayed, struggling to keep her balance. Gravity demanded that she fall, and bad luck determined that she should fall backwards. Time seemed to slow, and the sky burned bright and blue above Sophie as her body fell over the edge. The air was rushing past, and Sophie struggled to scream, struggled to do _anything_!

The world exploded around Sophie as she hit the water. Her entire body stung from the impact, all the air in her lungs being expelled in a split second. Bubbles made it hard to see for a moment, but then she glimpsed the sun, a hazy outline of fire. Beams of sunshine pierced the rich blue of the water, and if Sophie hadn't been busy panicking, she would have admired how beautiful it was.

Sophie sank like a stone, away from the sunshine and away from the Warren. The water was cold, and as she went deeper it got darker. Sophie kept waiting for her chest to clench and ache from lack of air, but the sensation never came. She was simply suspended, her hair billowing around her head and obscuring her vision.

_Note to self, I can't drown_.

If she could have, Sophie would have smiled. She was going to be all right. The teenager felt the headache stage coming on, the pain spreading more quickly than usual, and braced herself for it. The coolness of the water dampened the sensation somewhat, but it wasn't enough to make it bearable.

Sophie felt a tugging sensation all around her, sensing that her body was being moved from its position at the bottom of the pool. The light shifted as she herself shifted, and suddenly the sun's outline was getting bigger and bigger. Was she floating upward? How could there possibly be such a strong current in a pool–

Sophie's body suddenly surfaced, fate having it so that she was floating on her back. The air was warm against her face, and her mouth was slightly parted, rasping as it sucked in a deep breath of air. The air was sweet and delicious, and Sophie basked in it.

It was then that she heard the rush of the river. That was where the current came from! But if she was being pulled by the river, that meant that she would–

The water suddenly sloped downward, and Sophie caught one last glimpse of the sky before she was swept into the sinkhole. Inside the tunnel, all was darkness, and Sophie was reminded of a waterpark ride. There had been numerous rides like this at the park, where she and Jamie had ridden in a black tunnel, unable to see a thing.

Water kept washing over her face, and Sophie closed her eyes to escape it. The tunnel walls were rough, and Sophie's shoulder was badly bruised when a sharp turn caused her to run into it. But the pain in her head was enough to overshadow everything else, and Sophie was content to focus on that.

Focusing on the pain was infinitely better than wondering where the underground river led.

* * *

It was a long time later that Sophie felt the weakness fade away. It was a much slower process than usual, but it eventually passed. The pain gave one last surge before slipping away from her body, and Sophie was so happy that she began to laugh. The pain was gone; it was over…she could finally get out of the water!

Mobility had returned to her, and so she kicked her feet furiously, reaching out to cling to the jutting edges of the tunnel. Her vision had adjusted somewhat since entering the sinkhole, but even so, she slipped a few times before finding a sturdy enough hold. Her legs drifted, pulled by the powerful current. Her hair was a mess, plastered to her cheeks and shoulders, and her dress was well and truly soaked.

Sophie leaned her head against the smooth wall of the tunnel, heaving a great sigh. Now that the pain was gone, she was forced to consider where she was. It had been at least a few hours since she had followed the river underground, and she had literally no way of knowing where she was. Bunnymund had mentioned that the Warren was in Australia, so she assumed that she was still in Australia. But how far had she traveled?

The water was a dark path against the slightly grayer dim of the tunnel walls, and on the other side of the blackness was a paler mound. Was that sand? Sophie peered at it, and decided to make a jump for it. She gripped at her handhold, and sucked in a deep breath before pushing off with her feet. The current tried to pull her along with it, but her hands managed to get a good enough grip on the coarse sand that she remained stationary.

Spitting out a clump of sand that had somehow lodged itself in her mouth, Sophie dragged herself onto the beach. It was rough against the skin of her knees, but she ignored her discomfort, focusing on pushing her hair back behind her ears. Once it was safely out of her eyes, she took a few moments to examine the small enclave. It was dim and murky, the ceiling far above her head. The fear of hitting her head now gone, Sophie pushed herself to her feet.

The tunnel was so dark that when a small speck of light made itself known, of course Sophie's eye was immediately drawn to it. It glittered on the far wall, the size of a marble, maybe smaller.

Was she really that close to the surface?

The teenager moved toward it instinctively, leaving behind the darkness in favor of light. Even the most unfamiliar light was better than darkness. As she grew closer, it seemed to glow even brighter. Soon, she was standing before it, and of its own accord, her hand raised up to press against the small dot of light.

At her touch, the wall seemed to melt away, and then Sophie was blind because the light was everywhere. She squeezed her eyes shut, covering her face with her hands in an effort to shield herself. It took several long minutes for Sophie to open her eyes, and even then she could little more than squint.

Sophie's jaw dropped.

She was standing in a gargantuan dome, and she frowned as she took a step forward. If Sophie had to put a definite label on the place, she would say that it was the mix between a wizard's lab and a scholar's private library. There were three levels, each equipped with a small platform, all of them staggered so that it was possible to pick out all of them from where Sophie stood. The room was circular, and so the levels seemed to wrap in an endless circle. Numerous ropes and baskets hung from the distant ceiling, and upon closer inspection Sophie saw that they made up some sort of pulley system.

Hundreds of glass orbs – from where Sophie stood, she guessed that they were the size of bowling balls – floated above the platforms of each level, glowing gently. Each level carried a different color orb. The first level, the one closest to Sophie, glowed green. The second level was yellow, and the last level was a dusky brown.

Sophie finally lowered her gaze, and saw that the ground level was packed full of strange instruments and desks that were stacked high with folders and scattered notes. A large oak door dominated the farthest corner, elaborately carved and polished.

Pieces of paper were everywhere, pinned on walls and dumped on chairs, filled with scribbles and various mathematical formulas. A large blackboard was propped up at the far end of the room, and its dark green surface was covered in linear graphs and side notes.

"–the nerve to just waltz in here like they own the bloody place!" an English accented voice snapped from behind the oaken door, and before Sophie could so much as scream, the door slammed open to reveal the source of the voice.

Standing there, clad in a plaid sleeping shirt and fluffy pink slippers, stood a giant groundhog. It was nearly as tall as Bunnymund, and on the edge of its snout rested a pair of delicate reading glasses. If Sophie hadn't been so terrified, she might have laughed at the ridiculousness of the creature's outfit.

The groundhog stared at her for a split second, and then marched forward, glaring at her with beady eyes. Sophie scrambled backward, pressing against a shelf packed full of leather-bound books.

"I-I-I'm so sorry, um, _sir_…I didn't know that–"

"Didn't know? Oh, this is a surprise, to be sure! Give me one good reason I shouldn't send you back to wherever you came from with tulips growing out of your ears! I have half a mind to do so, even if you have a legitimate excuse!"

Sophie swallowed hard. "I'm sorry! I fell over a waterfall, and got carried here by a stream…" she trailed off, cringing at how unbelievable her story sounded. "I saw the light, and I just–"

"Do you take me for a fool? As a Guardian, of course you would see the entrance to my burrow – the question is _why _did you choose to enter? It was established centuries ago that winter was my time to be left alone! How _dare_ you disregard the agreement!"

Sophie's temper flared. "I didn't know that this place was here! I saw a light and I went toward it, that's all! I don't know who you are and I don't know anything about an 'agreement'!"

The groundhog scowled at her, his glasses slipping even farther down his snout. His eyes were black and indecipherable, and Sophie stared steadily into them. A part of her was still trying to comprehend that she was standing up to a giant groundhog that was not only wearing a plaid nightshirt, but also had an English accent.

Finally, the groundhog took a small step back, and Sophie saw that the creature had long claws instead of fingers. They looked especially sharp, and Sophie forced herself to remain calm. The groundhog stared at her for a few more seconds, and then bared his teeth slightly.

"Is this Bunnymund's way of antagonizing me, by sending an ignorant child into my burrow? That Australian imbecile–"

"You know Bunnymund?" Sophie was shocked into asking, and the groundhog let out a high barking sound – Sophie assumed that it was a laugh. He ambled over to the blackboard, and began wiping it clean with violent strokes of the eraser.

"Do I know that egg-loving hooligan? Do I know Bunnymund, she asks! Yes, I know him...the bastard stole my favorite season! And he doesn't even help in bringing it about, he just leads everyone to _believe_ that he does!"

"Your favorite season?" Sophie asked, feeling brave enough to step away from the wall of books. The groundhog didn't turn around, continuing to clean his chalkboard.

"Spring, of course! I create all of the seasons, but spring is my favorite! It used to be mine, you know. But then, Bunnymund came with his fancy eggs and chocolates…and now the world credits him with the whole thing! Do you know how much calculation it takes to make trees grow their leaves? Do you know how much precision it takes to urge the grass to grow after a long winter? And don't even get me started on _mating _seasons! I suppose I should be grateful that humans are no longer under my influence, I can barely manage animal mating patterns as it is…"

Sophie looked around, and noticed that most of the diagrams involved plants and animals. She stared at the back of the groundhog, and frowned.

"Wait, you're saying that the seasons…summer, fall, winter, spring…those happen because of _you_?"

"Yes, well, except for winter, of course. I gave up that dreary fiasco two hundred and fifty years ago, to that Jack Frost fellow. Now, wintertime is my time to relax and sleep the nights away. It's no easy task, bringing spring, summer and fall to the entire world! I have to monitor ecosystems, regulate temperature, calculate ratios...that's what all of these seeing-glasses are for," the groundhog explained feverishly, gesturing to the glowing orbs above him.

Ah, so that's what the colors meant; green for spring, yellow for summer, and brown for fall.

"I gave the easy one to Frost. I don't particularly care for winter…the other seasons are so much more _gratifying_!" The groundhog glanced over his shoulder, sending Sophie a stern glare. "Who did you _think _created seasons?"

"Well, to be honest, I thought that nature just kind of…did it on its own. Kind of randomly, you know?"

The groundhog laughed, a grating sound, and went back to his cleaning. His claws clicked against the desks as he shuffled papers, and the rustling was so loud that it nearly drowned out his speech.

"Let this be a lesson to you, little Guardian; nothing in this world is 'random', as you say. Everything has its place and time. It all can be justified, it all can be explained. You may not know the answers to your questions, but believe me when I say that the answers are indeed somewhere to be found."

Sophie swallowed hard. "You say that there are answers to my questions?"

"Yes; are you as deaf as you are rude?"

"Why does it hurt? Jack said that I would feel weak, but he never said anything about the headaches. How can I figure out what I'm supposed to do if the pain is all I think about?" Sophie asked, ignoring the groundhog's blatant jab.

The groundhog continued cleaning, not affected at all by her question. His fur glinted in the warm golden light, and his ears twitched as he went.

"Ah, I remember when Jack Frost was experiencing this. I was still in control of winter, then, and I remember observing him out of curiosity. From what I observed, he experienced no pain, only weakness. The spells lasted for six days, and then disappeared, never to return."

"But…but that doesn't make sense!" Sophie cried, running a hand through her slowly drying hair.

The groundhog sighed, pausing in his work. "From your scent, I can deduce that the weakness is a temporary side-affect of the drastic changes to your physiology. If you are experiencing pain, it is of your own making."

"You think I _want _to feel pain?" Sophie snapped, and the groundhog hissed at her, eyes narrowing at her hostility.

"Perhaps you are not consciously desiring pain, but you _are _the cause of your pain. The workings of your brain are yours alone, and so it is something in your thought that plagues you."

"But what could…what could be giving me headaches? Jack was in the same situation as me, but he didn't feel pain…"

"Must I spell this out for you, child? Think! Jack Frost was reborn without his memories, for reasons only the Man in the Moon knows. He regained his memories after the physical changes were complete, so there were no negative affects. You, on the other hand…"

"I remember everything about my life," Sophie said slowly, and the groundhog nodded brusquely.

"Your body is trying to make the transition from human to spirit, but something in your mind is preventing the process from going smoothly. If I were to wager a guess, I would say that your desire to return to your human life is the cause."

Sophie stared at her feet. "So Jack didn't feel pain…because he didn't have any memories to keep him tied to humanity."

"Exactly. Being a spirit was all he ever knew until the Pitch Black incident fifteen years ago. But by that point, Frost had been an active spirit for three centuries."

"So…in order to get rid of the pain, I have to accept what's happened to me?"

"Simple, isn't it? A pity you couldn't have figured it out _without _barging into my burrow. Now, out with you. Out, out, out! I've missed out on too much of my sleep already!" the groundhog demanded, pushing her toward the sandy beach.

"Wait, how do I get back to the Warren?"

"The river runs in a big circle. If you let it carry you, you will reach the Warren in an hour or so. Now goodbye, and next time have the courtesy to knock! Better yet, don't come by at all! You Guardians bring nothing but trouble!" The groundhog nudged her out of the room and into the darkness, and Sophie struggled to speak.

"W-Wait! I'm Sophie Bennett, what's your name?"

The groundhog was waving his claws, and a solid layer of stone was forming out of nowhere, covering the entrance. Before the creature was completely lost from view, he spoke one last time.

"I go by a variety of names, none of which you are worthy of calling me. But, I suppose for courtesy's sake, since you gave me your name I shall give you one in return. The Guardians and their allies know me as Groundhog. Since you belong to one of those parties, it is only right that you also know me as Groundhog. I sincerely hope we do not meet again soon, Sophie Bennett."

With a final twitch of his bespectacled snout, the groundhog finished creating the thick wall. The great room, along with Groundhog himself, vanished, and Sophie was once again alone. Her thoughts whirled with the newfound information, and she let out a small laugh.

What people called "Mother Nature" was actually a talking groundhog. Not just any groundhog, but a magical groundhog that had an English accent and wore plaid pajamas and pink slippers. Oh, and his name was Groundhog, of all the possible names in the world.

After being in a brightly lit room for so long, the murkiness of the tunnel was especially dark, and Sophie hesitantly edged toward the sound of running water. Her dress was nearly dry, as was her hair, and she let out a huffing sigh at the thought of ruining all of that progress. But after weighing her options – stay in the tunnel forever and stay dry, or get back to the Warren and get a bit wet – she decided that she might as well get it over with.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the river, and let the current sweep her away.


	6. Flowers Mark the Spot

****Hello, my lovelies! I hope you all had a lovely Christmas/New Years! I sure did!

I'm sorry this chapter took so long to post, I've been hard at work on my A:TLA story, Water:Twist of Fate. It's in it's final stages, and I'm working to get it completed! Whoot!

I hope you guys like it!

**A special shout-out: **I'd like to dedicate this chapter to _J.M_. _Friday_, my Aussie friend who was kind enough to look over Bunnymund's dialogue for this chapter! Thanks a bunch!

Okay, here's the chapter!

_**PLEASE REVIEW! **_

* * *

Chapter 6: Flowers Mark The Spot

* * *

Sophie couldn't remember a time that the sight of the sky filled her with so much joy. It was big and blue, scattered with fluffy white clouds that slowly drifted across the heavens. It was such a pleasant change from the darkness that had been her only companion for the past hour.

Without warning, the river dipped down, and Sophie was sent tumbling headfirst into a body of water. Her first instinct was to panic, but she instead forced herself to evaluate her surroundings. From the lack of resistance around her arms and legs, she assumed that she was in a pool of some sort. Kicking strongly, her head broke the surface, and she quickly looked around.

The roar of the waterfall filled the air, the water churning into the lake, and when Sophie turned she saw the lush hills and trees of the Warren. So Groundhog had told the truth; the river ran in an endless circle. Sophie had been half-convinced that the creature was lying, and that she would end up in some Australian ditch with no idea how to get back to the Warren. Now that she was in the safety of the Warren once more, her guesses as to where she would end up seemed far-fetched and stupid.

A relieved smile stretched across Sophie's face, and she quickly swam to the edge of the pool, dragging herself out of the water and onto solid ground. She threw herself back onto the sweet-smelling grass, and took a deep breath of fresh air. Her mind was still processing the information Groundhog had given her, and no amount of relief could distract her from that.

Groundhog had said that the solution was simple. Accepting what had happened would make the pain go away. Sophie lifted her head, and let it hit the ground, a frustrated sigh escaping her lips.

It was easier said than done.

How could she accept what had happened to her when nearly every waking moment was filled with memories of her family? How could even _begin _to let go of her past life when her future was so unknown?

A faint squeaking noise startled Sophie out of her reverie, and she shot up into a sitting position, a chunk of hair falling into her face as she did so. Huffing, she flicked it out of the way, and looked around to locate the source of the squeaking. It couldn't be anything threatening, and so she searched without trepidation.

Finally, she spotted a little white egg struggling to reach her, practically obscured by the grass. Sophie shook her head – the sight of walking eggs took some getting used to – and quickly rescued the egg from the greenery. It nuzzled up to her hand, and began squeaking even louder.

"Since when do eggs _squeak_?" Sophie murmured, peering down at the egg with a raised eyebrow. The egg gave a little shake in reply, and Sophie giggled.

"You're awfully cute. My niece would absolutely _adore_ you…but on second thought, it's probably better that you don't meet her. She'd love you so much that she'd pick you up and never let you go. Heck, she'd probably break you. That doesn't sound fun, does it?"

The egg let out a louder squeak, and Sophie couldn't hold back her laughter. She lightly rubbed the egg's curved shell, and it settled down, still squeaking softly. Why was it squeaking, though? Sophie couldn't remember any of the eggs squeaking when she first arrived in the Warren.

Sophie whirled around at the sound of earth giving away, and let out a surprised shriek when Bunnymund appeared out of the ground and marched towards her, his green eyes blazing.

"You! _You_ almost gave me a bloody heart-attack! What were you _thinking_, disappearing like that? Crikey, I've been scouring the entire bloody continent, looking for _you_!" Bunnymund punctuated the last word with a hard poke on her collarbone.

The egg hopped out of her hand and made itself scarce – in the face of Bunnymund's anger, Sophie found herself wishing that she could do the same. As the egg left, Sophie realized that it had ceased its squeaking when Bunnymund showed up. Had the egg been alerting Bunnymund? Was that why it was making so much noise?

"I'm sorry! Bunnymund, I didn't mean to…"

Bunnymund's nose twitched, and he froze. Sophie trailed off, not sure what he was sensing. Sophie jumped when Bunnymund suddenly leaned forward and sniffed at her. His nose crinkled slightly, and he circled her once, so quickly that her eyes couldn't hope to follow.

"Ankle-biter, why do you smell like Groundhog?" the Guardian asked, but went on in a rush before Sophie could begin to explain. "He kidnapped you, didn't he? What happened to him sleeping during the winter? That–"

"Groundhog didn't kidnap me!" Sophie interjected with a frantic wave of her hands. "I was standing on top of the waterfall, and I had one of my spells. I fell into the pool, got sucked into the river, and accidentally woke up Groundhog. It wasn't his fault!"

Bunnymund stilled, and Sophie saw that she finally had his attention. Moving forward a step, she continued.

"He actually helped me, Bunnymund. He told me how to make the pain go away."

"Groundhog told…_Groundhog_?"

Sophie smiled at his incredulous tone. "He was far from polite, but yeah, he helped me."

Bunnymund seemed to need some time to wrap his head around it, because he suddenly sank into a crouch, rhythmically tapping his foot on the ground as he stared at the waterfall. His long ears twitched, taking in the sounds of the Warren even when his mind was focused on one particular thing.

Sophie plopped down beside him, using the long minutes of silence to try and comb through her hair with her fingers. The sun was drying it nicely, so she let it be after a minute or so. Bunnymund let out a great heaving sigh, and itched behind his ear with his foot. It was so strange to see Bunnymund behaving so much like an ordinary rabbit, and Sophie couldn't help but smile.

"I really am sorry, Bunnymund. I didn't mean to get lost, it just…happened."

"Just be more careful in the future, eh?" he muttered gruffly, and Sophie nodded. A few more minutes of peaceful silence ensued, and Bunnymund glanced over at her, his eyes somehow greener than the grass beneath them.

"So, what did he say? About the pain?" he asked, and Sophie pulled her knees up against her chest, resting her chin on her knees.

"He said that the only way to stop the pain is to fully accept what's happened to me. That my body and my mind are battling it out; my body is trying to change, and something in my head isn't letting it. I think," Sophie paused. "I think it's because I miss my family. I never wanted to be a Guardian, I just…I just wish that none of this had ever happened."

Sophie glanced over, afraid of Bunnymund's reaction to her honesty, but found that he wasn't looking at her; rather, he was staring up at the sky.

Bunnymund was quiet for a long time after that. Sophie wondered what he could be thinking about, and peered over at the Guardian. His nose was furrowed as he tapped his foot, and his paws were tracing his boomerang.

After a time, he straightened, and hopped to his feet. Sophie looked up at him, and took his paw when he offered it to her. He easily pulled her upright, and jerked his head, motioning for her to follow.

Sophie automatically fell into step beside the large rabbit, having to jog a few times in order to keep up. The teenager wanted to ask where Bunnymund was taking her, but something inside of her knew to be patient.

Bunnymund stopped, and purposefully tapped his foot. A large hole appeared in the ground, and Bunnymund silently grabbed her other hand and jumped into the tunnel. The trip was longer than Sophie was used to, and the tunnel walls were oddly lush and mossy, making it easier for Sophie to be pulled along – the walls were slippery and easy to slide on.

And then, the journey was over.

Bunnymund pulled her out of the tunnel, and Sophie stood next to him in the middle of a beautiful forest. The trees were immense, much larger than any Sophie had ever seen or heard of. They seemed to grow larger the longer she stared at them, her head tilting up to watch their trunks disappear into the canopy. The sunlight filtered down, and colorful flowers were blooming all over a large clearing.

The place reminded Sophie of the Warren, but there was a distinct coolness to it that said otherwise. The sun was warm, and the rustle of leaves was soothing, but somehow…the place felt empty. Bereft of something very important.

Sophie watched Bunnymund slowly walk into the clearing. It was then that the teenager noticed that the flowers grew in strange patterns. The patches of flowers were long and rectangular, with a foot or so of space in between each one. They filled the clearing, each rectangular patch containing a different type of flower. The one on Sophie's right was made up of lavender, the one on her left, orange-red tulips. Sophie slowly trailed Bunnymund, careful to walk in between the rows of flowers.

What was this place?

She found Bunnymund, motionless, at the center of the clearing. There was a clear circle of grass there, and without a word Bunnymund knelt down. His green eyes were locked on the section of flowers right in front of him. The spot was filled with daisies, perfect and white against the green of the grass.

Bunnymund's voice was soft, but the forest was so quiet that Sophie had no trouble hearing him.

"It doesn't look like much, now, but a tribe of pookas – that's what I am – used to live here. Over there, that's where weapons were made and stored. Over by the river, that's where the cleaning huts were. And the entire eastern circle…that was there they all lived. They built mud huts, low and out of the way, because most of the living area was underground. Tunnels connected the entire village, which really helped during the rainy season."

Sophie was beginning to get an inkling of what the clearing was, and suddenly she didn't feel so calm. The flowers were bright and healthy, but their beauty only served to make her feel worse. The rectangles seemed to swallow her whole, and she swallowed the thickness in her throat.

Bunnymund was oblivious to her discomfort, and went on, his eyes hundreds of years away.

"One night, one of the pookas snuck out of the village. He wanted to collect some good-quality wood for his little sister's boomerang. It was her birthday in a few weeks, and he didn't want anyone to know. He wanted it to be a surprise."

Bunnymund paused, then, and his paw reached out to trace the little white daisies.

"When he came back after a few days of foraging…the village was destroyed. A clan of fire-imps had invaded pooka territory. They're not around anymore, but at the time they were the pooka's worst enemy. The fire-imps blocked off the escape tunnels, and killed every last member of the tribe. They burned everything to the ground."

Sophie felt tears welling in her eyes, and bit them back. "Oh, Bunnymund, I'm so sorry…" she choked out, and sank beside him. The Guardian smiled sadly, keeping his gaze on the daisies. Sophie looked at him, feeling very much like a child.

"I was chosen to be a Guardian a week later, after I had buried all of them. I was angry as a wolverine for a long time, and I couldn't begin to understand what I could bring to the world. Finally, a few years down the road, I came back, and saw how dead everything was. The earth was brown, so dark and cold. Except–"

It was then that Bunnymund's voice quivered ever so slightly, and Sophie saw that he was blinking rather rapidly. He had also switched to the first person, and Sophie wondered whether it was on purpose, or whether he did it unconsciously.

"–Except for my sister's grave. There, one tiny white flower was blooming, and it was then that I knew what I had to do. Daisylena always liked springtime, and loved flowers more than anything. She was always so eager to show me how the forest changed, the new life that had taken root. Heh, sometimes, she'd follow birds to their nests and just stare at the little chicks as they hatched from their shells. I realized what I could bring to the world; hope for a better future, the joy of new beginnings. And that's what I've been doing ever since. I think the loss of my tribe is what makes me the ideal bringer of hope – I had more reason than anyone to give up, but I never could bring myself to do it."

Sophie looked around at the clearing, and saw in her mind's eye the bustling life that had once been. The huts by the stream, huge rabbits bustling to and fro, polishing their boomerangs and scampering in and out of their tunnels.

It was then that Sophie began to cry. Not quiet, delicate tears, but loud, gross sobs that heaved through her chest and shook her entire body.

"Y-You put flowers on all of their gr-graves," she bawled, and Bunnymund didn't answer. He didn't need to; the silence was answer enough. It only made Sophie cry harder, because now she was thinking about her own family. How on earth did one cope with the death of a loved one? Sophie had never had a close friend or relative die, and so she had nothing to go by.

But her family and friends were dealing with death, because Sophie died on the street that night, and she could never go back.

"How l-long have they…?" Sophie couldn't help but ask, and Bunnymund replied without hesitation.

"It'll be eight-hundred and seventy-six years this Easter."

Sophie put her head in her hands, and tried hard to stifle her cries. But her grief ripped the sobs out, uncaring that she was making a scene, uncaring that she didn't like to let others see her cry.

Bunnymund was quiet for a while, but after a while he began humming under his breath. Sophie found herself being lulled by a slow, deep song that rolled up and down like the hills of the Warren. The flowers on Daisylena's grave fluttered, and Sophie wondered if Bunnymund was doing more than just singing. His hums filled the entire clearing, and if Sophie tried hard enough, she could almost hear a chorus of voices – young, old, male and female alike – joining in.

But the song was suddenly over, and like that the magic was broken. Sophie had stopped crying, and Bunnymund turned to face her, his voice filling the clearing once more.

"Ankle-biter, you can wish all you want for things to be different. You can hold onto your past; who knows, it might feel good for a while. But in the end, it doesn't mean anything, because it's a part of your life that you can _never_ get back. Your family...they wouldn't want you to spend your life looking back on how things could have been. If they could know that you've been given another chance, I know that they'd be pushing you to make the most of it. Because that's what family does. I'll never see my sister or any of my tribe again, but I can still remember them. I can look back on everything that's happened since I've become a Guardian, and I can think, 'They'd all be happy to see what I've done. My parents and my sister…they'd be proud of me.'"

Sophie stared out at the hundreds of flower graves, and thought about her family. She let herself think about her mother and father, their smiles and their comforting hugs. It hurt, but Sophie forced herself to remember how many times they said that they were proud of her, how much they loved her and how she was going to have a wonderful life. They had said all of those things too many times for Sophie to possibly count.

Jamie's presence had brightened her childhood and early teen years. He always helped her, always made her feel wanted, even when his friends rolled their eyes and said she was too young to be any fun. Sophie remembered many a night sitting on his bed, eagerly listening to his stories about the Guardians. He always told her that she had to believe in them, even if she couldn't see them, even if other people said that they weren't real. Jamie even made her swear on it.

_"You pinky-promise, Soph? You double-cross your heart and hope to die?" _

_ "Yeah!" _

Sophie's pinky curled, and in her mind she was linking fingers with Jamie in the safety of his bedroom, away from the prying eyes of the adults of the house. In that room, there was just Sophie, Jamie, and the smell of frost in the air. Ever since meeting Jack Frost, her brother always left the window open. He told their parents that it was because his room was too stuffy, but Sophie knew the real reason. It was to let the cold air in, let the small flecks of snow collect on the windowsill, and to make sure he never forgot his adventure with Jack Frost and the other Guardians.

If Sophie was a Guardian, didn't that mean that Jamie believed in _her_, too?

Sophie smiled, and wiped at her eyes. Bunnymund gave the patch of daisies a long look, and Sophie turned her head away, to give him a moment of peace. A few seconds later, Bunnymund stood, and Sophie stood as well. The Guardian wasn't a very touchy-feely person, Sophie knew, but she had to thank him somehow, and words seemed less sincere somehow. So she hugged him.

He was incredibly warm, almost to the point of being uncomfortable. But an instant later, Sophie was comfortable, and she frowned slightly. How had her body adapted that quickly to the heat of Bunnymund's fur?

But Sophie decided to let it go for the moment, because Bunnymund had gotten over his shock and was hugging her back.

"Thank you," Sophie whispered for good measure. Bunnymund patted her back, his blunt claws clicking together as he did so. The hug was short, but it was enough.

When they parted, Bunnymund held out something to Sophie. It was a single daisy, the petals impossibly white in the light of the sun.

"To new beginnings?" he offered.

Sophie stared up at Bunnymund. Now that she knew the story behind the daisy, the offering of the flower meant so much more. It wasn't just a daisy; it was the first step in letting go. Jamie's earnest face flickered before her eyes, and she could almost feel his pinky tightening around hers.

"To new beginnings," she replied, and reached out to accept the flower.


	7. Fire and Ice

Hello, my lovelies!

I know, it's been WAY TOO LONG since I last updated, and for that I'm sorry! I was having a bit of trouble with this story, not to mention I'm in college, with homework to do as well as sports to dedicate my time to! But to make up for it, here's a longish chapter!

**I'm feeling a bit iffy about this chapter, so I'd really appreciate some feedback on my characterization.**

=)

I hope you like it, even if I don't, and if you like it or have any suggestions...

_**PLEASE REVIEW!**_

* * *

_***Edit:**_** 3/2/13***

Well, this is embarrassing, and reveals that I really need to brush up on my Eastern European history.

***St. Petersburg is NOT the capital of Russia folks, it's actually Moscow. I don't know why I thought that St. Petersburg was the capital...maybe it's because I watched "Anastasia" the other day, and just assumed...

Either way, I fixed it, and I'm surprised that only ONE person pointed it out!

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Chapter 7: Fire and Ice

* * *

The air of the Warren was clean and fresh, as it always was, and Sophie breathed in deeply before stretching out onto the grass. Bunnymund sat beside her, a sketchpad in his hands. He was mapping out egg designs for the upcoming holiday, occasionally scowling and erasing his work with a huff. Crumpled up balls of paper surrounded him, filled with discarded patterns.

Sophie watched him, her lips quirking in a smile. He was obviously passionate about his work, and part of her wondered if any of the children understood how hard Bunnymund worked to make Easter as memorable as it was. Somehow, she doubted that they did, and that made Sophie respect the pooka even more.

Bunnymund didn't expect anything in return. He did everything for the children and only for the children. It was in these moments where Sophie caught glimpses of what being a Guardian truly entailed.

As a Guardian, one couldn't afford to be selfish.

"_Every one of us has a beginning, and it would be foolish to forget those beginnings. But as a Guardian, we have to be willing to put those memories in their place, in order to wholly commit ourselves to the children of the world…"_

At the time, Sophie hadn't really been in the state of mind to appreciate the Tooth Fairy's words, but after having time to think about it, it made more sense to her. It was strange, it had only been a few days since the spells of weakness ended for good, and already Sophie felt wiser, steadier. The colors of the Warren seemed brighter, and the air filling her lungs was unusually sweet and satisfying.

Sophie still thought of her family and friends, but the grief was softer now. She knew that she couldn't go back to her hometown yet, the pain was too fresh and her path was still so unsure. But once she figured out what she was meant to do, once a few years had passed…she would go visit her parents and Jamie. They wouldn't be able to see her, but at least she would see them, and know that they were still alive and well.

It had to be enough.

Sophie threaded her fingers through the grass, and forced her mind off of the subject. The dirt felt strong and unyielding under her hands, and a thought came to her rather suddenly.

"Bunnymund?"

"Mm?"

"How do you navigate through all your tunnels? I mean, they go all over the world, right? How do you know which is which? And they close up after you go through them…how?"

Bunnymund was silent for a moment, and then let out a barking laugh. "You might be the first person to ever ask me that."

"Really?" Sophie asked incredulously, rolling over onto her stomach and grinning up at him. The pooka nodded, his ears twitching as he thought about her question. His sketchpad was set aside, and Sophie caught sight of a series of pretty swirls and shapes.

"That's a tough one, Ankle-biter. For me, tunneling is like breathing; it's somethin' I don't really think about. Hmm…"

Bunnymund hopped to his feet, and offered a paw to Sophie. She took it without a moment's hesitation, and allowed him to help her up. Her bare feet were swallowed by the thick grass, but only for a moment, because Bunnymund tapped his great foot on the ground.

The ground dissolved away, but Sophie managed to land on her feet, steadying herself on the mossy tunnel wall. There was more moss and mulch under her feet, slippery and slick. The hole disappeared, and Bunnymund and Sophie were left in the green-lit tunnel. Sophie kept her hand tightly around Bunnymund's, in case he decided to run off. She didn't want to get lost down there.

"It's taken me hundreds of years to create all of my tunnels, and the funny thing is…there were tunnels even before I became a Guardian. I have my tunnels, but there are some that I've never explored."

"How do you know?" Sophie asked, and Bunnymund reached out to touch the mossy wall of the tunnel, his blunt claws digging past the green and crunching in the dirt.

"It's a funny thing…I can feel it. Most people don't think that the earth can speak, but I do. It speaks; just not in words most can understand. It was my only friend for a long time. Took me a century or so to fully master it, but once I did, the tunnels just mapped themselves out in my head. I step into a tunnel, I feel the earth under my feet, and all at once I know where to go, where each path leads. The earth's a stubborn thing, takes a bit of oomf to get it on your side."

Sophie touched the wall of the tunnel with more care now. Her fingers were so pale against the lush green of the moss, and for some odd reason, it made her think of plaid pajamas and bad household manners.

"Sort of like the Groundhog, huh?"

Bunnymund's ears perked up in surprise, but to Sophie's relief he didn't go on an angry rant as he usually did when she mentioned the Groundhog. The pooka said nothing, but in his eyes was a glimmer of acknowledgement. With a pat of his hand a small flower burst into bloom beside Sophie. It was bright yellow in shade, a spot of sunlight in the dim green tunnel.

Sophie's fingers went down to the small daisy pinned to the front of her dress, the white petals soft against her fingers. Bunnymund had helped her fasten it, using a bit of his magic so that it stuck to the fabric without the aid of a pin. It was a brooch of sorts, and didn't wilt even though at least a week had passed since it had been picked.

"How do you do all of this? The flowers…the magic…how did you figure out what you needed to do?" Sophie gestured to the flower on her dress and the one sprouting beside her. Bunnymund smiled at her obvious frustration, and ruffled her hair. It was a rare show of affection from the gruff pooka, and so Sophie tolerated the rough mussing of her hair.

"I've had hundreds of years to tinker with my magic and figure out a method that works, Ankle-biter. Give yourself some time…it'll come to ya soon enough."

"But what if I don't have any magic? What if I'm just me, Sophie Bennett, but all glowy and invisible? What if the Man in the Moon made a mistake?"

"Didn't you hear North back at the Pole? Manny doesn't make mistakes, Ankle-biter, not when it comes to choosing Guardians. He might not be eager to share his reasons, he definitely chose you for a reason," he said, and paused, leaning down to meet her eye-to-eye.

"And if you don't end up having any flashy magic, that's just fine. You're a Guardian, not a bloody show-pony. Sometimes the most powerful things in the world are the small things, the things that people overlook or toss aside as unimportant. So what if you don't have the ability to shoot ice out of your hands, or can't make toys that move on their own? That's not what's important. It's what _you_, Sophie Bennett, bring to the world."

Sophie couldn't help the smile that stretched across her face, and nodded. All of the other Guardians had obvious magical powers, and as the days passed Sophie had begun to wonder if she was defective in some way. No obvious powers were showing themselves, the only thing coming close to something special being the odd way that her body adapted to temperatures. But the Warren wasn't exactly full of extreme temperatures, so Sophie had no way of knowing if it was unique to her or just a Guardian thing.

Bunnymund patted her hair once more, and tapped his paw against the top of the tunnel. The hole reappeared, and the pooka pulled her up and out of the tunnel with a single smooth movement. The earth shifted so that the hole disappeared, so seamlessly that there was no sign it had been there in the first place. Sophie blinked at the bright sunlight that streamed down from the sky, tilting her head up so that it could touch her face.

"Oh for the love of–" Bunnymund groaned, but didn't get the chance to finish, because there was a loud _boom_, and suddenly a glimmering portal appeared. A thin figure barreled towards them, faster than Sophie's eyes could follow. A high-pitched shriek filled the air, and Sophie threw herself out of the way, hearing Bunnymund do the same on her other side. A peal of cackling laughter filled the air, husky and strangely familiar. Confused, Sophie peeked up from her position on the ground.

Jack Frost was twirling slowly in the air, his staff in one hand and one of North's snow globes in the other. A wicked smile adorned his youthful face, and Sophie heard the incoherent grumbles of a fuming Bunnymund.

Jack laughed more loudly at the sight of them, and his white hair glinted in the sunlight. "I can't believe I scared you guys! Note to self, the Big Bad Bunny screams like a little girl!"

"Get down here and say that to my face, Frost! I bloody dare ya!" Bunnymund snarled, and with one powerful bound of his feet he leapt up so that he was level with Jack. This was quite a feat, as the frost spirit was at least fifty feet in the air. Sophie's jaw dropped, and Jack effortlessly spun out of the way, his teeth glittering like pearls as he grinned.

Unlike Jack, Bunnymund was bound by gravity, and so in the next second or so he dropped down next to Sophie, his paw reaching for his boomerang.

Sophie couldn't help but laugh. Here she was, standing in a magical sanctuary, watching the Easter Bunny and Jack Frost go at it. The situation was so utterly bizarre!

Jack and Bunnymund both looked over at the sound of her giggles, and Jack's impish expression sobered somewhat, his bright blue gaze darting around her form, never quite meeting her eyes. His feet touched the grass, and in one smooth movement he had circled Sophie, white hair fluttering around his forehead as he did so. Bunnymund scowled, but put away his boomerang, sensing that their argument would have to wait.

Sophie crossed her arms over her chest in response to his scrutiny, not liking how closely he examined her. Was he expecting to see the same scared, confused girl he had found standing outside a store window? Granted, Jack hadn't involved at all since the meeting at the North Pole, he hadn't been there like Bunnymund had. Sophie supposed Jack was entitled to a bit of confusion.

"You finished the transformation," Jack murmured, finally meeting her eyes. Sophie frowned – how was he able to tell? – and Bunnymund snatched up his sketchpad off of the grass, eyeing Jack warily. Sophie nodded, and Bunnymund took advantage of the silence that followed the observation.

"What're you doing here, Frost?" the pooka demanded, and Jack flipped his staff so it lay across his thin shoulders, arms dangling over the wood in a casual gesture. The frost spirit smirked cheekily, the somber expression gone from his face as fast as it had come.

"Don't sound too excited to see me, Bunny, I just might blush!"

"You–"

Another argument ensued, and with a sigh of resignation, Sophie settled down in the grass to wait it out. It was obvious that the two were just itching to fight, and Sophie could sense that nothing would get accomplished until they did so. Bunnymund finally lost his patience and threw his boomerang. Jack managed to deflect it with a burst of ice, laughing all the while.

Sophie rolled her eyes, and carefully picked up the discarded sketchpad, flipping it open and scanning the beautiful pictures. Bunnymund really was a fantastic artist, and the blonde soon lost herself in the graceful curves and swirls of his egg designs.

Finally, what seemed like hours later, the two Guardians seemed to have reached a sort of truce, and Jack flashed his cocky grin before seating himself on the grass next to Sophie. He reached over as if to pluck the book out of Sophie's hands, but she saw him coming out of the corner of her eye and held it out of his reach.

"Here, Bunnymund," Sophie said, handing her pooka friend his sketchpad. He gave her a quick salute before accepting it, and sent Jack a smug arch of his brows.

"I see you two are getting along. Isn't that nice?" Jack asked no one in particular, twirling his hands so that a flurry of snow snaked around his fingers like coils. Sophie watched, fascinated, until the frost spirit turned to look at her. Then, she was forced to meet his unnaturally vibrant blue eyes. The skin of his face was pale, and the creases at the corners of his eyes and lips shimmered slightly, as if dusted with frost.

Jamie had never mentioned how intimidating Jack Frost could be, especially up close. Maybe Jack had been less serious before he regained his memories, perhaps Jamie had never had the opportunity to really stop and _look_ at Jack Frost.

As if he could sense her unease, Jack's intense gaze softened, and the mischievous smile was back on his face as he looked up at Bunnymund. "To answer the question, North asked that I check up on Sophie. It's been a few weeks, and he wanted to make sure she's settling in okay."

"I'm better. It's still hard to accept, but I'm handling it," Sophie replied, even though he hadn't addressed her directly.

"I'm also here to take you out on a little adventure. North's orders, y'know how it goes," Jack continued, his eyes dancing with glee. Bunnymund flared, his green eyes narrowing in distrust.

"North did _not _tell you to kidnap her, Frost, don't even try it!"

"Yeah, he did. C'mon, would I lie to you?"

Bunnymund didn't respond, but his skeptical expression was answer enough. Jack shrugged, swinging himself around his staff absentmindedly, distracting Sophie with his easy grace. He looked so at ease, as if defying gravity was as automatic as walking on two feet. For him, it probably was.

"Where would we be going?" Sophie asked hesitantly, and ignored Bunnymund's surprised glance in her direction. Sophie stared up at the frost spirit, curious as to why Jack was the one chosen to take her out into the human world. She wasn't afraid; that would be silly. Jack Frost was the hero of all of Jamie's stories, the Guardian that Jamie held closest to his heart.

"Somewhere that isn't green, that's for sure…" the white-haired Guardian said, glancing around at the sunny Warren with a slight grimace on his face. Bunnymund grumbled from his position on Sophie's other side, obviously miffed by Jack's unspoken distaste for spring.

Jack's words struck something within Sophie, and she looked down at her hands. Not someplace green…Sophie assumed he meant somewhere cold. Hadn't she been hoping for a chance to explore her uncanny ability to adapt to temperature? Was it a special ability, or was it just in Sophie's head? Were all Guardians impervious to extreme temperatures?

Sophie, suddenly eager to go and test out her secret theory, got to her feet. "I'd like to go," she said, much to Bunnymund's surprise. Jack grinned widely, and pulled out North's snow globe.

Sophie couldn't help the scowl that appeared on her face at the sight of the orb. She knew it was illogical and counterproductive to dislike the snow globe – it wasn't the orb's fault that she had stepped out onto the street, it was Sophie's lack of awareness that was to blame – but she couldn't seem to help it.

Jack murmured something to the orb, and it glowed brightly. The frost spirit tossed it carelessly over his shoulder, and a large portal appeared. Snowflakes whirled from within its depths, quickly melting in the warm air of the Warren. Bunnymund faced Sophie, his eyes scanning her face carefully.

Sophie smiled. "I'll be back soon, okay?"

Bunnymund nodded curtly, and stepped back, a clear sign that he had no more objections. Jack waved a hand for her to enter the portal first, a surprisingly gentlemanly move on his part. Sophie turned to wave at Bunnymund one last time, and felt Jack's presence at her back. She took solace from that, and sucked in a deep breath. No turning back.

She stepped forward, an immense rush of energy sweeping through her as the portal pulled the two spirits into its depths.

* * *

Before Sophie could do so much as blink, the journey was over.

All around her were tall buildings, with narrow rows of windows and small metal balconies. Snow covered the ground, paved away from the road so that cars could safely drive on them. A large building was visible through a gap in the buildings, the gold plated dome shining in the weak sunlight. The barest wisp of a cloud was the only thing marring the clear blue sky.

People were walking briskly along the sidewalk, bundled in winter clothing and jabbering to each other in a language that was completely foreign to Sophie's ears. She would have been trying a bit harder to figure out what language it was, but she was too focused on the feeling of the people passing through her body.

Sophie gritted her teeth at the odd tingling sensation, and stepped back until she was against the nearest wall, away from the people and their unseeing eyes. Her heart was heavy in her chest, and she swallowed the lump in her throat.

"The feeling when people pass through you…does it ever go away?" Sophie asked, knowing without having to look that Jack was beside her. The trickster was quiet for a moment before answering.

"No," was his simple response, and Sophie sighed, forcing herself to remember why she had agreed to come along in the first place. She looked around at the snowy city, frowning at the foreign architecture.

"Where are we?" Sophie asked, and Jack beamed.

"My favorite place to hang out in the wintertime! Saint Petersburg, Russia!"

"We're in _Russia_?" Sophie exclaimed, her eyes widening as she spun around to take it all in. She never ever imagined that she would someday go to Russia of all the places in the world! Sophie couldn't help the smile that stretched across her face, because she was in _Russia_! Why the concept was so mind-boggling to her was beyond comprehension, but she was flabbergasted all the same.

Jack laughed at her expression, and Sophie was off, running along the sidewalk, ignoring the shiver that was felt every time she passed through a civilian. Jack flew alongside her; every now and then he spun off to run along the sides of the buildings, ice blossoming wherever his feet touched. The golden dome was her compass, and she headed toward it. She reached an intersection, and slid to a stop, her eyes on the cars speeding past.

Jack flew a ways before realizing she had stopped, but soon doubled back, his brows furrowing in confusion. "Why'd you stop?"

"Wait, can I get hit by cars? People pass through me, but what about other things? I mean, we don't pass through the ground, or buildings, so…"

"Huh…you're right," Jack muttered, and Sophie rolled her eyes at his tone of surprise. "I never really thought about it before. I guess I've always been able to fly over this kind of stuff."

"And I'm terrified of heights, so that's not happening," Sophie said, and looked both ways, waiting for a break in the traffic before running across. Jack scoffed, but chose to follow her without saying a word in protest.

Sophie followed the golden beacon, and paused when she reached a large city square. Everything was bathed in snow, and so there weren't many people out and about. The domed building was immense, but what caught her attention was the dark statue of a man proudly riding his horse. The statue rested on a large pedestal, a short metal fence surrounding the entire monument.

"Who is this?" she asked, and Jack landed lightly beside her.

"Nicholas the First, emperor of Russia from 1825 to 1855. I was there when he was crowned, actually. I took one look at him and decided that he looked like an idiot, so I sent the city a nasty cold spell that lasted all day. Later, I found out that according to the Russians, Mondays are considered unlucky, and that was the day he was crowned. As if that wasn't bad enough, my little present made his reign even _more _unlucky!"

"Wow…" Sophie breathed, looking up at the statue. It was easy to forget that Jack had been around for more than just a few decades. A thought struck her, and she turned to the frost spirit. "Jack, do you mind if I ask how old you are? I mean, how long have you been like this?"

Jack was looking up at the statue, and his lips pursed as he thought. "Hm. I was seventeen when I died, so I'd say I'm about three-hundred and thirty-two years old."

"Three-_hundred_…that's amazing! Oh my gosh, you've been around for so many things! Wait, were you there during Lincoln's Inaugural Address? Oooh what about the signing of the Declaration of Independence?"

Jack laughed. "Nope! I was too busy having fun to bother going to those things. I had better things to do, and it's not like I knew they were important at the time…"

With a wave of Jack's hands, gray clouds trickled across the blue sky, darkening the sun. Snow began to fall, the little white flakes sticking to Sophie's hair and the sleeves of her dress. Through the falling snowflakes, the golden domed building was even more beautiful.

Sophie walked past Nicholas the First's statue, and held out her hands, watching the snowflakes collect on her fingers. It wasn't until she reached the small circular park in front of the dome that she realized that the snowflakes weren't melting. Her breath wasn't making smoke in the air; the snow was pleasant under her bare feet.

"Jack," Sophie called out, her tone a mixture of nervousness and excitement. She wasn't sure what she was feeling, but she had this spark inside of her chest, a feeling of triumph. It wasn't just in her mind; something was going on.

"What is it?" Jack asked, peering at her with a frown. Sophie held out the snowflakes, and he looked at them and then back to her face, not quite getting it. She huffed, and scooped up a bit of snow, crunching it between her fingers.

"The other Guardians feel cold, right? Bunnymund, Tooth, North, Sandman…"

"Yeah, so?"

"I can't. I touch the snow, and it's not cold."

Jack's eyebrows shot up, and without warning, he grabbed her hands, the ball of snow falling harmlessly to the ground. It was the first time they had touched since that day when he offered her his hand so he could take her to the North Pole. The first time, Sophie had noticed the coldness of his hand, though as the flight went on the coldness had lessened somewhat, through of course she didn't notice it at the time.

This time, when their hands touched, there was a slight spike of cold, but it disappeared too quickly to be of any importance. Jack's hands were neutral, the exact same temperature Sophie's were.

Jack's eyes widened, his lips moving but no words coming out. Sophie looked down at their hands. Jack's skin was just as pale as Sophie was, but his skin had a faint bluish hue to it, very slight but noticeable in the right light. Sophie's skin was pale, but it lacked the hint of blue, instead having a sort of silvery undertone. It was subtle, but when placed next to Jack it stood out.

"Your skin isn't hot, it's the same as mine…I've never…" Jack stammered, unable to form a coherent thought. His eyes were dancing with excitement, and with a loud laugh he flew up a few feet, bringing Sophie with him. Sophie shrieked, and Jack responded by twirling her in a circle, careful to keep a tight grip on her.

"It's been three-hundred years since I've felt anything _close _to this! After my transformation was complete, I couldn't feel cold anymore, and everything else was hot! But now…" he trailed off. The boy looked down at their hands, and reluctantly floated them back to the ground.

Sophie explained, "It's been happening off and on ever since I went to the North Pole. In the Warren, I noticed that the warmth was never too warm for me, even though it should have been. I hugged Bunnymund, and for a second it was too hot, but then it became comfortable. And you should be really cold, but I didn't feel it at all!"

Jack was nodding, his brows furrowing in thought. Then, his expression lit up, and he motioned for Sophie to follow him. "I got it! I know where we can test this out!"

He ran across the snowy park, and Sophie hastened to follow, wondering what on earth he was planning. Their footprints left no mark on the snow, a fact Sophie noted with mild surprise. Were they weightless or something?

Jack stopped in front of a large official building with two torches lining the entrance. People were milling about, but Sophie didn't pay them any attention.

"Oh no," she muttered, and Jack smirked, a clear challenge.

"You scared?"

"I'm not about to stick my hands in fire! No way!" Sophie protested, her hair whipping around her face with the wind that swept through the street. Jack let out a sigh, and moved to stand next to her.

"Trust me, it won't burn you. I'll do it with you, does that help?"

Sophie scowled, but allowed Jack to steer her toward the large torch. The fire was burning brightly despite the snow, and Sophie was soon face to face with its orange-gold depths. It was so alive, so unpredictable, and Sophie wasn't sure whether she was scared or eager.

Jack grabbed one of her hands and quickly moved so the flames engulfed both of their hands. Sophie yelled, more out of surprise than out of pain, and closed her eyes tightly, waiting for the burning sensation to start.

But it didn't.

It was hot for a split second, and then settled down into a comfortable temperature. It was slightly warmer than Jack's hand had been, but it was nothing Sophie couldn't handle. Her eyes opened, and she stared in awe at the sight of her bare hand covered in fire. Jack was grimacing, but his hand was just as unharmed.

Sophie pulled their hands back, and let go in order to examine her skin. It was untouched by the heat, as pale as it had been before. Jack was shaking his hand slightly as if to rid himself of the feeling of the fire.

"Gah, fire's way too hot for me. It gets annoying real quick, even if it doesn't technically burn me."

"It wasn't hot, it didn't even hurt!" Sophie cried, and moved forward to touch Jack's arm. There it was, the tiny bit of cold, but then it disappeared into that comfortable neutral temperature.

Sophie's body temperature unconsciously shifted to match her surroundings.

"You're adaptable," Jack declared, unknowingly confirming her thoughts.

Sophie stuck her hand in the fire again, just to make sure it worked more than once. The fire flickered harmlessly around her fingers, and she wiggled them, just to see what it felt like. The flames were somewhat thick around her hand; it felt like moving through water.

Sophie was unable to keep the smile off of her face.


	8. City Lights

Ooooh a quick update!

I can't help it - Jack Frost and Sophie interacting = MOTIVATION TO WRITE.

I hope you all like this chapter; it's a bit short, but I enjoyed writing it!

If you like it, and want more as soon as possible...

_**PLEASE REVIEW! **_

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Chapter 8: City Lights

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Several hours later, the two spirits found themselves sitting on the railing of a large stone bridge overlooking the Neva River, watching the sun as it sank down toward the horizon. The sky had returned to its originally clear state, and so the colors of the sunset were visible, brilliant and bright against the comparatively dark city buildings. The surface of the river was frozen, and snow dusted the surface, glittering and sparkling like diamonds.

"Wait for it…" Jack murmured, and Sophie huffed, leaning forward so her chin rested in her hands. Her bare feet moved back and forth, her toes arching down as if trying to touch the ice that coated the river.

"What are we waiting for, exactly? We've been sitting here for at least ten minutes…"

"Never pegged you as the impatient type, Sophie," Jack casually commented, not meeting her eyes and therefore rendering her glare useless.

"I never pegged you as the _patient_ type," she muttered, and Jack smiled. In the light of the sunset, his ice-blue eyes contained a golden sheen.

"I'm not patient, usually. But I've been around long enough to know that some things are worth waiting for. This is one of them, so shut up and pay attention."

Sophie sighed, but obeyed him, sitting up and watching the sunset carefully. It was beautiful, sure, but in the end it was just a sunset. What was Jack so excited for her to see?

Slowly, like a turtle hesitating before poking its head out of its shell, the dark skyline began to change. No longer was it completely dark, and Sophie gasped as lights very gradually began to fill the darker space. They varied in color and size, and they seemed to be an endless supply of them. The sun continued to set, but its beauty was muted, overshadowed by the sight of the city putting on its nighttime mask.

It was nothing less than magical.

"Wow…" Sophie breathed, not aware that she had spoken until Jack's laugh filled the air.

"Not too bad, huh?"

"This must have happened all the time back home, but I never saw it. I mean, I was always _in _the city when it happened…" Sophie trailed off, her eyes trailing up one of the taller buildings until they reached the very top spire. In the back of her mind, she wondered what it would be like to perch there, to stare out over the whole of Saint Petersburg.

But then she remembered the nausea that accompanied such heights, and she quickly put that thought to rest. No, she was perfectly fine observing the city from the ground.

Jack had probably been up there, Sophie mused, glancing over at said frost spirit. His white hair was so white that it almost glowed in the darkness, his eyes looking up at the sky. Sophie followed his gaze to the moon that had risen without Sophie noticing it. It wasn't full, but it was still so bright, its silvery light effortlessly blending with the city lights.

Sophie had trouble imagining that there was an actual man in the moon – Manny, North and Bunnymund called him – but in light of all that had happened in the past few weeks, it wasn't all that strange. She sighed, wishing that she could at least look Manny in the eye. He was the one who had chosen her as a Guardian; surely he had the answers to all of her questions.

Maybe that was the reason Manny was so far away, maybe that was the downside to the knowledge and magic he wielded. There was always a catch to having great power, Sophie knew that much by now.

The two sat in silence for a while, each deep within their own thoughts. Sophie thought of the moon, and Jack…well, there was no way of ever knowing what that boy was thinking. He had the face of a trickster, his eyebrows naturally arched in such a way that led an observer to assume he had mischief on his mind even when he didn't.

Sophie looked down at her hands, and finally mustered up the courage to ask, "Jack…do you mind if I ask you something?"

Jack gave her his attention as an answer, waiting expectantly.

"What was it like, waking up without your memories?" she asked, her voice so soft that it was almost a whisper. The wind picked up, blowing the blonde's long hair back from her shoulders and tousling Jack's short white locks away from his forehead. The frost spirit's eyes were surprised, and his pale fingers pensively curved around his staff.

Sophie noted with some surprise that wherever his hand touched on the staff, ice streaked across the wood like veins. If his handhold shifted, so did the ice. It made Sophie wonder about the nature of Jack's relationship with his staff.

"Well, the first thing I remember is how dark it was. I was underwater, that much I knew, but I couldn't even muster the energy to be confused because all I could feel was how _dark_ it was. It was cold, too, and looking back on it, it's the only time I can remember being truly _cold_."

"Were you scared?" Sophie had to ask, because she herself was scared and it wasn't even her story. She hated having her past life constantly haunting her, but as she thought about it, having no memory was almost worse. Jack had lived for three hundred years without his memory, how had he survived?

"Of course I was scared. But then…" Jack smiled, looking up at the shining silver orb in the sky. "Then I saw the moon. It was so big, and it was so _bright_; it seemed to chase the darkness away. And when it did…I wasn't scared anymore."

Sophie looked up at the moon, trying to imagine what it must have been like for Jack, to suddenly wake up and not know who he was or what he was meant to do. And to have all of those powers suddenly come to him…

"And your powers…you just _had _them? Didn't it freak you out, being able to fly and all that?"

"Well, it helped that I didn't have my memories of being human. From the moment my powers revealed themselves, I just assumed that they were a part of me. I think that's why I gained control of them so quickly – being a spirit was all I knew until fifteen years ago."

"Do you think…do you think that's why my power took so long to show itself? Because I have my memories?" Sophie asked, staring down at her hands. She and Jack were sitting in a powdery layer of snow, and yet the cold didn't reach her. Sophie picked up a bit of snow and let the stuff fall through her fingers, watching it drift down and settle on the glassy surface of the river.

Jack sighed, shifting so he was leaning back on his hands, his feet crossed at the ankles. The top part of his staff was hooked around his neck, so there was no danger of him dropping it.

"Probably. I mean, you still think like a human; what with the fear of being hit by cars and all that stuff. The transformation's complete, so all of your powers are there…you just need to open yourself up to them. Let your instincts guide you, and don't think of yourself as just Sophie Bennett."

"But I _am _just Sophie Bennett."

"Are you?" Jack countered, not unkindly. Sophie frowned, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear and shifting her gaze to the skyline once more. The lights glowed brightly, and if Sophie focused, she could hear the sounds of traffic, as well as the general hum of city life.

No, she wasn't just Sophie Bennett. Sophie Bennett hadn't been able to shift temperatures. Sophie Bennett's skin was tanned, her eyes were bright green, her body was solid and her life had a definite end.

Who was she, then, if the name Sophie Bennett no longer offered her an identity? Was she just Sophie, the wandering spirit with bone-pale skin and silver eyes? She wasn't Sophie the Guardian, not yet anyway. The moon had chosen her, sure, but she wasn't even close to being a true Guardian.

Sophie didn't answer, and the wind whispered more gently now, brushing against her face and loosing the lock of hair she had stubbornly tucked behind her ear. Sophie huffed, and let the hair be, somehow knowing that the wind would just mess it up again anyway.

"C'mon, let's get you back to the Warren," Jack offered, getting to his feet and offering her his hand. Sophie took it, and noticed that Jack's face brightened when their hands touched. She raised her eyebrows in silent question, and Jack sobered somewhat, his eyes abashed as they avoided hers.

"Sorry, it's just…you're the same temperature as me! I don't think you understand how crazy this is for me…"

"Huh," Sophie murmured, staring down at their joined hands. Jack's dwarfed Sophie's, which was strange because he really wasn't that much taller than her. Maybe two inches, three inches at the _most_. But she supposed it was a guy thing – not to mention she had rather small hands for someone of her height – and let it go after a moment or two of hopeless speculation.

Jack pulled North's snow globe out of his jacket pocket, and the magical device sparkled in the dim light. He held it out to Sophie, silently offering. She hesitated, but steeled herself, and took it.

The glass was silky smooth against the palm of her hand, and she stared deeply into the pulsing lights, noting the little silver flecks that swirled around amidst the red, blue, green, violet and gold. Silver definitely hadn't been in the snow globe the last time she had seen it. Wait, hadn't there been silver streaks in the sky the day North had summoned the Guardians to the North Pole?

Did the presence of silver mean that Sophie was also included in the list of Guardians? But she wasn't even fully fledged yet, she had yet to be "officially" accepted…what was Manny thinking?

Sophie gritted her teeth, and shook the orb slightly. "The Warren," she commanded, and the snow globe flared green. Glancing down at the river, a smirk stretched across her face.

She tossed the orb down toward the river, and a portal appeared on the solid ice of the river. Jack seemed surprised, and Sophie swayed at the dizzying height that separated her and the portal. Maybe she should have considered that before just _throwing_ the damn thing…

"Oh no…" Sophie groaned, and turned away from the portal, forcing her stomach to cease it's churning. Jack laughed, a husky, impish sound.

"C'mon, its barely thirty feet. It's a piece of cake!"

"For you, maybe! Some of us actually have some common sense!" Sophie grumbled, focusing on taking deep breaths. Jack's hand tightened around hers, and she reluctantly looked up at him. His eyes were serious, but his mouth was quirked in that wicked way of his. It was hard to determine whether he planned on throwing her off the side of the bridge or being helpful and supportive.

It turned out that he had a bit of both in mind.

"Close your eyes, Sophie. I want you to trust me, okay? I promise, you're gonna be fine."

"What're you–"

Before she had a chance to finish her protest, Jack grabbed her and tossed her over the side of the bridge. The air rushed by her, and those few seconds in which she fell felt like days, years even. Sophie was too shocked to scream, her lungs filling with cold fear instead of oxygen. Jack's smiling face was all she could focus on, and he gave her a jaunty little wave as the colors of the portal swirled around her.

"See you around, Sophie!" he called, and then Sophie was forced to close her eyes, because the whirling mass of color and energy was too much to bear. The crisp air of Saint Petersburg was gone, and Sophie gasped as she collided with solid ground that smelled of sweet grass.

"Ugh," Sophie grunted, shaking her head to clear it and sitting up. The Warren was sunny and warm, such a jarring change from the nighttime atmosphere of Saint Petersburg.

"I'm going to _kill _him…" Sophie hissed, getting to her feet and shaking out her shoulders. A familiar thumping sound radiated from the earth beneath her feet, and Sophie took a step back just as a tunnel appeared. Bunnymund poked his head up, his green eyes merry as he took in her scowling face.

"What's this I hear about killing Jack Frost?"

Sophie couldn't help but smile. "He threw me over a _bridge_! He didn't even give me any warning!"

Bunnymund let out a barking laugh, and hopped up so he was standing beside her. "That's Frost in a nutshell, Ankle-biter. Ya gotta stay on your toes, otherwise he'll getcha."

Sophie ran a hand over her face. "Either way, he's going to pay. He _knew _that I didn't like heights…"

Bunnymund smirked. "As much as I'd like to be in on your revenge, I'd better leave this one to you, Ankle-biter. Frost is up there with the Witch Clans when it comes to pranks and tricks. You're gonna need help if you want beat him at his own game."

"Beat him at his own game, huh?" Sophie murmured, and Bunnymund nodded before ushering her toward the egg tunnels on the far end of the Warren.

"Now c'mon, I've got some color designs that I've been tweakin' with, and I need your opinion."

"You _know_ that I'm going to love anything you create…"

Bunnymund smiled, reaching over to ruffle her hair. He was doing that more often as time went on, and Sophie beamed with pleasure at his ease in showing her affection. She had a feeling that he was not this affectionate around the other Guardians, and was oddly honored that she had somehow been deemed worthy of seeing this side of him.

"I knew there was a reason I kept you around," Bunnymund commented, and Sophie rolled her eyes.

"Whatever you say, Kangaroo," she said, and nearly lost it when Bunnymund froze. Jack had told her about Bunnymund's reaction to being called a kangaroo, and she hadn't been planning on bringing it up. It wasn't a particularly clever nickname, and Sophie much preferred calling him by his full name. But she had to get back at him somehow, didn't she?

"What was that?" the pooka asked, his ears flattening against his skull. Sophie ignored his affronted expression, and kept walking, shrugging her shoulders.

"Oh, but isn't that what you are? A kangaroo? I mean, you _do _have an Australian accent…" Sophie blinked innocently at him, but she couldn't keep a straight face, and gave up after a second or two.

From the pooka's expression, one would have assumed that Sophie had just thrown an egg at his head.

"Oh, you think you're so clever, do ya? I'd start running if I were you…" Bunnymund growled mock-angrily, and crouched down in preparation to give chase.

"No, no, no!" Sophie squealed, and dashed away, her laughter hampering her ability to breathe properly. She heard Bunnymund's feet pounding against the earth behind her, and pushed herself faster, knowing that Bunnymund was just humoring her by letting her escape his grasp. He lunged for her, and just barely missed her ankle. She couldn't stop laughing, and was heartened when she heard Bunnymund laughing as well; he was clearly enjoying the chase as much as she was.

She wondered how long it had been since Bunnymund took time to simply have _fun_.

As the chase continued, Sophie felt her body filling with energy, and felt her body moving faster and faster, but somehow never tiring. Her feet were barely touching the ground, and for a split second, all Sophie wanted to do was push off and jump as high as she could. Her body felt constrained in the Warren, and for a moment all she could think about was getting out and being completely free to explore the world. She felt it in her blood, the burning desire to soar above the clouds and touch the stars.

But then Bunnymund's furry paw locked around her calf, and all thoughts of defying gravity were forgotten as gravity instead chose to work against her, causing her to land face first into a large cluster of tulips.


	9. Naughty List

*dodges heavy objects*

I'm sorry that this has taken me so long! I really have no excuse other than college, which is winding down and getting a bit tricker - lots of lab reports to write, papers to write, desks to bang my head against...the works. I'm doing the best that I can, so please try to stick with me!

This chapter was...tricky. Not "cute/sexy Jack Frost" tricky but the "Oh god i can't write anything right now I can't even do words anymore" kind of tricky.

North is an INSANELY difficult character to write. I was surprised at how much difficulty I had with him...so deceptively cheery and eager, North! I thought that writing such an easygoing character would be simple, but...god I was LITERALLY KICKING THE AIR I was so frustrated.

So I'd appreciate some feedback, just to make sure I'm not going insane.

Enjoy, and as always...

_**PLEASE REVIEW! =)**_

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Chapter 9: Naughty List

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A month flew by, and Sophie was so busy that she hardly noticed the passage of time. Ever since her outing with Jack, Bunnymund had become increasingly busy, and enlisted her help in preparing the millions of eggs that were waiting to be painted. It was all eggs, every day, until Sophie felt like her brain was going to explode with the sheer volume of them.

Finally, two weeks before Easter, Sophie decided that she needed a break. The snowglobe Jack had brought was still in her possession, and she asked Bunnymund if it was all right if she visited one of the other Guardians for an afternoon.

"Course ya can, Ankle-biter. You don't need to ask; you're free to go where you want when you want."

And so Sophie now stood, the snowglobe in her hands, overlooking the colorful parade of eggs as they marched toward the underground caverns. It was purposefully cold in there, so they would stay fresh until Easter.

The glass was slick against her fingers, and she looked around at the Warren with an odd feeling of agitation. Ever since her visit to Saint Petersburg, Sophie had been getting pangs of pressure in her chest, as if sitting still and staying within the confines of the Warren was suddenly too much to bear. It hadn't been as noticeable lately, because Sophie had been keeping so busy. But now that her attention was on something else _besides _eggs and Easter, the restlessness came back with a vengeance.

Impulsively, Sophie decided on a place that was lacking in anything green and sunny.

"The North Pole," she murmured, tossing the orb in front of her. The portal opened with a crackle, the smell of cookies and peppermint whooshing from the entrance along with flecks of snow. Sophie stepped forward, and closed her eyes as the tugging sensation of the portal consumed her.

This time, when she touched the powdery snow of the North Pole, she wasn't surprised at the lack of cold she felt. The snow was soft and crunchy under her bare feet, and she stepped onto the icy path leading up to North's workshop. The sky was a clear blue, not even a wisp of a cloud present. The sunlight weakly shone, but not enough to offer any warmth to the icy environment.

The path was slick and smooth, not uneven as Sophie expected it to be. Childishly, she built up speed, and couldn't help but giggle as she easily slid across the ice. It was like a slide!

Sophie stared down at the large hill that led down to the workshop's entrance, and she took a deep breath. It wasn't _that_ far down, and the slope was mild enough that if she wanted, she could easily stop.

But wait…didn't Jack tell her to stop thinking like Sophie Bennett?

With that thought in mind, Sophie steeled herself, and pushed off. As she reached the top of the hill, she shifted so she was stable; knees bent and feet placed a few feet apart, as if she were riding a skateboard. Then, the incline came, and Sophie was sliding down the hill.

It started off slow at first, but then she began to pick up speed. The air blew by her, and Sophie was forced to crouch lower in order to keep her balance. A smile stretched across her face – she was going so fast, it felt like she was flying! The pressure inside of her chest had disappeared completely, and she gulped in deep breaths of the icy arctic air. Her arms spread out, keeping her balance, and she let out a laugh that was immediately snatched up by the wind.

There was a small curve toward the bottom of the hill, and as it grew closer, Sophie felt the beginnings of panic. She was going much too fast, she wasn't coordinated enough to make the turn! She was going to crash!

Suddenly, all of her confidence left her, and she struggled to retain her balance. Sophie shrieked as one foot skived off to the side while the other remained firmly in its course. This opposition of directions caused Sophie to spin off course, and she spun off into a nearby snowdrift. Snow surrounded her, and Sophie clawed her way out of the drift, breathing hard and waiting until the fear – it prickled at her skin and caught in her throat – faded away before getting to her feet.

Sophie stared at the curve in the path, so harmless up close, and with an angry huff turned away from it. She felt like a coward, and even though no one had been around to witness her failure, she still felt like she had let herself down somehow. The blonde marched forward toward North's workshop, roughly brushing the snow off of her shoulders and out of her hair.

The immense doors soon loomed over her, and Sophie swallowed hard, her hands nervously clenching and unclenching. Jack had used his magic to open them last time, but Sophie had no magic to speak of. Well, technically she did, but how could changing her temperature – a magical trait she had no conscious control over – open a pair of doors?

Feeling ridiculous, Sophie raised her arm, and hesitantly knocked on the carved wood. Her knocking made a pitifully soft sound, and yet the moment she lifted her fist away from the wood, the doors opened. With a powerful groan, the oaken doors parted for her, and Sophie let out a sigh of relief.

She walked inside, basking in the smell of peppermint and freshly baked cookies. Barely two steps in, Sophie blinked rather stupidly, her feet ceasing to move in favor of letting her take in the sights before her.

Unlike the last time she had been there, the workshop was practically bursting with activity. Sophie's head snapped back and forth, unable to decide what to focus on. Large creatures with long, thick fur and long claws lumbered around, carrying large crates and various tools and grunting to each other as they went. Sophie stared up at the upper levels, listening to the whirring and chirping of thousands of thousands of toys and watching intricate flying machines fly through the air and circle the main central pillar.

On the very top floor hovered a large globe of the world, an object Sophie had somehow missed when she visited last time. Millions of golden lights were scattered across the continents, winking cheerfully down at her even from such a great height.

How she had missed a gigantic globe floating in the middle of the workshop was beyond Sophie, and so she decided to let it go for the moment.

A deep grunt sounded right behind her, and Sophie let out a shriek, whirling around to face her assumed attacker. But of course, there was no threat – she was in North's workshop, for goodness sake!

"Gah, I…I um…hello?" Sophie stammered, gaping up at the immense figure of fur that towered over her. It was one of the creatures that were busy making toys; only this one wasn't focused on toys. Its full attention was focused on Sophie, and the girl took an automatic step back. Large, intelligent green eyes – a deeper, duller green than Bunnymund's, comparable to the moss that covered the northern side of the trees in a forest – flickered up and down her form. It didn't _look _threatening…

The furred creature brightened at her hesitant greeting, and waved its hands amicably, making more indistinguishable grunts and mangled sounds. Sophie frowned, trying to make sense of it.

"Uh, I'm sorry, I don't speak…whatever it is you're speaking. I need to find North, do you know where he is? Can you even understand me?" she added as an afterthought, and smiled when the creature nodded eagerly, pointing a claw to a something pinned to its fur. Sophie squinted, and saw that the creature had a nametag on.

_Hello, my name is Phil! _

"Your name's Phil?" Sophie asked, just to make sure, and Phil nodded once. He – Sophie assumed that Phil was a male – leaned forward and tapped on Sophie's collarbone with a claw, and it took the girl a minute to figure out what he was asking.

"Oh, I'm Sophie! Nice to meet you!" Sophie greeted, smiling up at Phil. In the back of her mind, she wondered what sort of creature he was. Was he a species of "Bigfoot", if there even _was_ such a thing? Despite her curiosity, she kept her thoughts to herself – an interpretive dance was the most she could hope for in this scenario, and she wasn't exactly eager to spend time deciphering one of those.

Phil made a few more sounds, and then gestured for the girl to follow him. Sophie only hesitated for a moment before falling into step beside him, her face relaxing into a smile. She couldn't help it; even with Christmas being months and months away, the workshop was practically bursting with magic and good cheer.

Sophie was reminded of her own happy Christmases as a child, and she couldn't help the bittersweet feeling that colored those memories. Her silver dress fluttered around her knees as she jogged to keep up with Phil's lumbering steps, her bare feet nearly silent on the smooth wooden floor. The ringing and trills of toys grew louder as the two made their way through the busy work tables, and Sophie smiled weakly at the inquisitive stares given by the other workers, unable to do more than wave hesitantly.

Phil stopped in front of a large wooden platform with long ropes and pulleys dangling around it. He grunted, gesturing for her to step onto it. Sophie held onto the railing tightly, and couldn't help but yelp when the rickety platform jerked into motion, flying upward with such speed that it made her head spin. Sophie's stomach lurched, and she closed her eyes, burying her head into her arms in an attempt to dispel the dizziness. A heavy hand patted her shoulder, pricking her with claws, trying and failing to be comforting. But Sophie appreciated Phil's effort; it was obvious that his intentions were good.

Finally, the platform came to a creaking halt, and Sophie cracked open her eyes, straightening when she saw that they had reached the top floor. She recognized the balcony from her last visit, though the podium was gone from the center of the room. The large globe drew her attention once more, and she walked to the very edge of the railing, where she noticed a large bench with buttons and levers.

It was obviously a control center for the globe, and so Sophie was careful to keep her distance. The continents were a soft green color, but the girl barely noticed it. What caught her eye were the bright golden lights that dotted the landmasses, thousands upon thousands upon _thousands_!

"Each light is a child who believes," a thickly accented voice sounded next to her, and Sophie turned her head to see North approaching her, taking a place next to her and gazing up at the globe as well. The Guardian's bright blue eyes were alight with laughter, and his smile was the only warning she got before she was clapped heartily on the back. Sophie sputtered as she was sent flying into the railing, and North didn't seem to notice.

"Sophie, it is good to see you again! I was afraid Bunny would lock you up for good!"

"Thanks, I guess. How…how are you?" Sophie asked awkwardly, smiling in an effort to cover up her unease. She was attempting to have a casual conversation with Santa Claus. She'd almost rather get thrown off a bridge again, but she would never admit it.

North wasn't put off by her discomfiture – Sophie had a feeling that he wasn't easily bothered by such things. Instead he beamed down at her.

"I am _fantastic_!" he cried, and his eyes focused on her, his hand reaching up to trace his beard. "I see that you are good as well, no? You are…what is the word…brighter?"

"Brighter?"

"Yes! When you came here last time, you were subdued, darker and confused. But now, you are bright, and you are smiling! It is good to smile, no? Now, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

Sophie shrugged. "I wanted to get out of the Warren for a while. Bunnymund's been having me paint and organize eggs nonstop…I needed a break. I hope I'm not intruding…"

North waved his great hands to placate her, his white hair glinting in the light as he shook his head. "You, _intruding_? Please, do not worry yourself. I am happy to help you in any way I can!"

A thought popped into Sophie's mind, and a smile slowly stretched across her face. "There _is _something I need help with, actually. Jack decided that it would be a _wonderful _idea to toss me off of a bridge and into the snowglobe portal. I need to teach him a lesson, but I don't know how."

North let out a great booming laugh, so loud that some of the furry workers looked up from their toys. Their large eyes were puzzled, and when North paid them no mind they went back to their work, shrugging their great shoulders.

"Oh, how fun! Hmm, I must think; how to get back at Jack Frost…now _that _is a challenge!"

The man tapped his lips with his fingers, staring up at the floating contraptions and watching their journey around the giant central pillar. Sophie moved forward to join him, examining the globe more closely. Every light was a child, huh? It had been Jaime's light that saved the Guardians all those years ago, Sophie remembered, and looking at the globe now, it was hard to imagine that the world had been so close to losing them.

"Yuppah! An idea!" North cried, and Sophie had to duck to avoid his arm – in his eagerness, he had swung it out, nearly clubbing her over the head. The bearded man whirled around, surprisingly light on his feet for someone so large, and marched toward a large oaken door set in the wall. Sophie couldn't help but laugh at North's child-like excitement; it was a refreshing change from Bunnymund's dry wit and gruff affection.

North left the door open, and Sophie stepped into what she assumed was his office. It was large, but of course that was to be expected. A wooden bench took up most of the center of the office, and upon it rested a beautiful sculpture. It wasn't of one particular thing – rather, it contained hundreds of different creations.

A swan, a wolf, a marching soldier, a tree with branches that curved gently around a sleeping child, a herd of horses, a dolphin, a soccer ball…the carvings were endless. Sophie looked around, breathing in the sugary spice that clung to the air. It was comforting, and made North's office even more homey than it already was.

North was rummaging around in a cabinet set against the far wall, nearest to the large window. Sophie walked over to the window, admiring the view. From the office, Sophie could see a giant glacier jutting up from the ice, white on the upper layer but quickly descending into a bright, ethereal blue. She had seen those sorts of things in magazines, but seeing it up close was something else entirely. If she really wanted, she could run to the bottom and press her hands against the glacier, she could breathe in the cold and really _see_ it.

"Ah, here it is!" North boomed, effectively pulling Sophie from her wistful reverie. The man was holding up a pair of blue shoes, much like the ones Santa's elves wore in the movies – the ankle was surrounded in white fur, and the toe curled up, a small bell on the very end. They were ridiculously over the top, at least in Sophie's opinion, but she would never dare say that. North held them tenderly, and it was clear he thought very highly of them.

"Those are…nice," Sophie commented, and North nodded, agreeing with her and disregarding the forced nature of her compliment.

"The yetis–" he began, and Sophie inwardly cheered; so _that _was what the tall furry creatures were! "–made them especially for Jack on the day he was Chosen, but for some reason he found them to be distasteful. They have been sitting in this cabinet for fifteen years."

"I can't imagine why Jack wouldn't want to wear them," Sophie said, biting down on her lip to keep the grin off of her face. North nodded, and a smile of his own appeared.

"You want to get back at Jack Frost, no? Well, I think these will prove most handy!" North declared, and waved one of his hands – the one that had "Naughty" tattooed on the forearm – over the shoes. Sophie felt a tingle of something in the air, and intuitively guessed it to be magic. She hadn't ever really thought about North as a being of magic; in her mind, he was pure brawn and bravado, flying around on his sleigh and recklessly brandishing his swords. But after feeling the gentle spark of his magic, her previous assumptions disappeared entirely.

North lifted his hand from the shoes, and grinned. "Now all _you_ need to do is somehow get these on Jack's feet. Once they are on, it will be _impossible _for Jack to remove them."

"Will it be permanent?" Sophie couldn't help but ask. Jack deserved some payback, sure, but forcing him to wear those monstrosities for more than a week or so was a bit too cruel for Sophie's liking.

"Possibly. I have made it so that you, Sophie, are the only one with the power to remove them. It is brilliant, no?"

"More than brilliant, this is _perfect_!" Sophie exclaimed, and eagerly accepted the shoes. Now, to figure out how to get Jack to put them on. Maybe Bunnymund would have some ideas. Oooh this was going to be _way_ too much fun!

"Thanks so much, North. I'll be sure to return these to you after this is all over."

North nodded, and put a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him – he was much taller than Sophie was expecting – and felt the atmosphere change ever so slightly. He was still smiling, but it was a more serious, calculating smile.

"I do not know why Man in Moon chose you, Sophie. But I do know that the little child who wandered into the Warren touched all of us. She opened our eyes; she changed the way we view our duties as Guardians. Your childhood is behind you, but that little girl is still within you, a child of wonder, hope, joy, dreams and memories. Do not forget her."

Sophie swallowed hard, and nodded. "I won't."

North's hand was heavy on her shoulder, and he let it remain there for a second longer before brightening. His entire expression changed, and Sophie couldn't help but smile at his obvious excitement.

"Now, I think it is about time I give you the tour! Come, there is much to see!"

Sophie, shoes still in hand, allowed herself to be led out of the office. Warmed by North's words and positively giddy at the prospect of teaching Jack Frost a lesson, she followed North into the bright swirling mass of magic that was his workshop.


	10. Payback

**.**..Hello! Kay first off, holy crap on a stick you guys. This story has **248 reviews for 9 chapters. **Like, can we all just stop and think about that? That's, on average, 27 reviews PER CHAPTER.

**...I LOVE YOU ALL**. Please, keep those reviews coming, they make my day!

So sorry for the long update, you guys. I've been swamped by college stuff, but I can now say that starting Monday, I'M DONE FOR 3 WEEKS. Then I go to be a counselor at summer camp, which will kind of hamper my ability to update regularly.

Some cool stuff happens this chapter, and I hope that you guys like it as much as I do!

***note:** And yes, I totally stole a certain line/scene from The Dark Knight movie. Sue me.

Enjoy, and if you have any questions/want more...

**_PLEASE REVIEW! _**

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Chapter 10: Payback

* * *

Easter soon came, and Bunnymund was beside himself with excitement, hopping around in a very un-Bunnymund sort of way, his green eyes alight with pride. He touched the eggs, murmuring to them as if they were beloved children. In a way, Sophie supposed that they were.

It was a while before dawn, the sky still dim and alight with stars. Bunnymund had woken Sophie half an hour ago, and the two of them began herding the masses of eggs toward the tunnels that were marked with each of Earth's continents. Bunnymund had a small bag over his shoulder that held Jack's Guardian shoes, and Sophie patted it fondly, a smirk on her face. Bunnymund, after shepherding a few straying eggs, grinned.

"I can't wait to see Frost's smug little face when you get him with this one," he exclaimed, his ears twitching and his paws clenching in anticipation.

Sophie nodded, and gestured to the eggs around her. "Alright. So how does this work, exactly? Do you hide them all by hand?"

Bunnymund chuckled. "Not exactly. You remember a few weeks ago, when we traveled all over the world with my paint?"

Sophie remembered; it had been a particularly busy couple of days. Bunnymund gave Sophie a small pot of bright green paint and a paintbrush, and sent her down what seemed like an endless number of tunnels, all of which led to different places in the world. She had gone to at least a few thousand places, but the only ones she could remember by name were Derby, England; Malibu, California, St. Louis, Illinois; Buena Vista, Colorado; Adari, India and Munich, Germany.

Once she reached the surface, she would determine which places would be good to hide eggs for children, and once she did, she would paint a small circle on the ground. Each place she went required different numbers of circles, seeing as each city had different amounts of children. Sophie had asked him over and over what the paint circles were for, but Bunnymund refused to tell her, wanting it to be a surprise.

"Well, Ankle-biter, all of those circles you painted were painted with my special paint. It's made of my magic, which was also used to make all of my googies."

"Googies," Sophie repeated, her tone bordering on exasperation because c'mon, _googies_? Was that even a word? Even if it was, it sounded disgustingly sugary coming from Bunnymund.

"All we have to do is help the eggs into their right continent tunnels, and they'll split off to find the places we marked. Once they reach the spots, their legs disappear, and they become regular hard-boiled eggs."

"They die?" Sophie asked, shocked.

"Ya can't kill things that're never alive. They're only able to move around because of my magic, and once they reach the marked spots the magic wears off for good."

"So why do you even need to go up to the surface, if the magic does it for you? What's there to manage?"

"It's not _what_ I have to deal with, it's _who_. Can ya guess?"

Sophie grinned. "Jack Frost."

"Bingo. That little bugger always tries to mess up my egg hunts by throwin' in a bit of snow. That's why I have to be there; I make sure everything goes according to plan. Some Easters I never catch him, but I'm _always _stuck cleaning up his messes. This year might be the first time that I'm actually _hoping _we run into him…I must be out of my bloody mind."

"Speaking of Jack…I'm….I'm not one-hundred percent sure I can do my part. I mean, I've only been able to do it for a week or so," Sophie admitted, fiddling with her hands.

It had been an accident, discovering her ability to channel her temperature adaptation. She had been talking to Bunnymund about the glaciers in the North Pole, and her hand had been on his head – she liked to brush through his fur with her fingers, and luckily for her he seemed to enjoy it as well. She had been so focused on describing how cold and beautiful they were that she didn't notice Bunnymund start to shiver. It wasn't until Bunnymund violently jerked away that Sophie noticed the flux of magic swirling under the skin of her hands. It was tangible to her senses for the very first time. She had been thinking about how cold the ice and snow was, and in her mind she had desperately wanted Bunnymund to experience what she had experienced, so…she changed his body temperature.

It seemed logical and simple, looking back on it, but in the moment Sophie had freaked out. Her mind had immediately jumped to an image of accidentally setting Bunnymund on fire when she was upset, or accidentally sucking all of the warmth out of plants.

Fortunately, Sophie's newfound ability was nothing like that. When Bunnymund finally calmed her down and convinced her to experiment, she discovered the finer details of her power. She needed direct contact in order to transfer temperature, as well as a great deal of focus. Cold was easier to transfer than heat, and the easiest temperature to transfer was that lukewarm temperature Sophie felt on a daily basis. Extreme heat or cold – enough to do any real harm– were still out of her reach, but with practice Sophie was sure she could get to that stage.

Bunnymund surprised Sophie by placing a hand on her head, effectively bringing her back to the present. She looked up at him, and his piercing green eyes were stern, but still managed to express kindness.

"None of that, Ankle-biter. The thing about magic is that in order for it to work, ya have to _believe _in it. That's the hardest part, to be honest. So don't think of it as controlling magic, think of it as controlling your own thought. If you believe in y'self, the magic will be there."

"Thanks, Bunnymund," Sophie said, reaching forward to hug the pooka. His warmth radiated into her very bones, and Sophie felt the slight tug of her magic as her body responded. Soon, there was no difference in their temperatures, and Sophie was exuding that same degree of heat.

After a few seconds, they both pulled away, and silently continued their task of herding the little eggs toward their tunnels. Sophie giggled at the way the eggs trotted along, and wished that she could keep one as a pet. But then again, while the magic would last as long as Bunnymund allowed it, the egg itself would not. Rotten egg was _not _a smell Sophie wanted to deal with.

Finally, a few hours later, all of the eggs were in the tunnels, and Bunnymund motioned for Sophie to follow him.

"C'mon, Ankle-biter."

"Where are we going?" Sophie asked, taking Bunnymund's hand and allowing him to tug her along behind him as he took off down one of the tunnels – the action was too fast for Sophie to get a glimpse of which continent tunnel they entered.

"Dublin, Ireland. It hardly ever snows there, and so of course Frost will try his hardest to make sure that there's snow. It's where he's focused on for the past ten years or so, so I'm assumin' he'll strike there first."

Sophie laughed. "Hey Bunnymund, do you know what happens when you assu–"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah an ass outa you and me. I've heard humans crack that one for the past fifty years…I dunno why they find it so bloody funny, but they do," Bunnymund grumbled as they made their way through the mossy tunnel, and Sophie rolled her eyes.

"It's not supposed to be _actually_ funny, it's more of a pity laugh sort of thing," Sophie explained. Bunnymund let out a forced chuckle, turning to give her a cheeky smirk. Sophie scowled, and chose to bend her knees and keep her balance rather than retort. Bunnymund was still pulling her, and since Sophie couldn't hope to keep up with him by running, she chose to slide along behind him. It made her feel like Tarzan, and she grimaced at the image of herself clad only in a loincloth.

Bunnymund stopped a short time later, and boosted Sophie up onto solid ground. The morning light was unexpectedly intense after the compared darkness of the tunnel, and so it took Sophie a few seconds to adjust. She was in a small thicket, in which she could hear people milling around and children laughing. She crouched down, peering through the bush and watching as little children brandished their egg-collecting baskets. Their little voices filled the air, thicky accented, and Sophie couldn't help but smile at the sight of such happy children.

But while the children made her smile and put a warm feeling inside of her chest, her focus was much more centered on the small group of young teenagers, all huddled up together away from the children. It was an unconscious thing, her inability to turn away from this particular group, and Sophie was about to step out into the clearing to better examine them when a familiar voice sounded above her head.

"Now, Bunny, you know I'm just trying to lighten things up a bit! We both want the same thing; for the kids to have a good time…"

"You!" Bunnymund growled, and Sophie tilted her head up to see Jack Frost lounging in one of the trees, so out of place in the sea of green that was the forest. His blue eyes were bright and playful, and when Sophie looked at him he grinned widely.

"Good morning, ma'am, what a pleasure to see you again," Jack greeted pompously, hopping up and tipping an imaginary hat. Bunnymund scowled at Jack's antics, but Sophie merely smiled, because she was already imagining Jack wearing those awful fur-lined shoes.

"I never did get to thank you for tossing me off that bridge," Sophie commented casually, her hands going to her hips. Jack laughed, and shrugged.

"What can I say, I'm _full_ of good ideas!" he called, and jumped down, hovering a few feet above the ground, subtly putting Sophie between himself and Bunnymund. A bad move on his part, but of course Sophie couldn't say that out loud. She had to take him by surprise if this was going to work.

"Are you ready?" Sophie asked Bunnymund, turning to look at the pooka. He nodded, and turned as if to move away. Sophie waited until Jack's gaze focused on Bunnymund, and then she struck, jumping towards him and colliding with his upper body. Jack's breath left him a loud _oof_ when he hit the ground, Sophie straddling his waist. She placed her hands on his face and closed her eyes, focusing on one single thing.

Cold. Numbing cold, so cold that it made ice seem like a warm fire. Cold so deep that one could barely move. Jack gasped, and Sophie felt the weak struggles of his body against her, but his reaction only bolstered her resolve. She could do this, she was strong enough.

Bunnymund was behind her, and she heard the sound of the leather bag opening, and the jingle of the Guardian shoes.

"_Now_," Bunnymund declared, shoving the shoes onto Jack's feet. "we're even for the Blizzard of '68, ya bloody show pony."

Sophie waited a few seconds more, and then released Jack, rolling off of him and grinning so widely that her cheeks hurt.

"Wha…?" Jack groaned, shaking his head and sitting up. Bunnymund was cackling – _cackling _– behind Sophie, his shoulders shaking. Jack's eyes found his feet, and his expression shifted to one of complete and utter horror.

Letting out a horrified cry, he pulled and tugged at them, only to find that they were glued very firmly onto his feet. The little bells chimed gaily when he moved, and it was that sound that finally did it.

Sophie broke down and laughed until she cried, and Bunnymund had to bite his paw to keep from joining her – while Jack and Sophie were invisible to the children, Bunnymund was not. Even so, little snorts escaped his nose, and the sound made Sophie laugh even harder. Jack was furious, using his staff to try and yank his shoes off, attempting to freeze them and learning that they were impervious to cold – Sophie would have to thank North for that the next time she saw him.

"You planned this!" Jack seethed, and Sophie wiped her eyes, smirking.

"Duh. You tossed me over the side of a bridge, what did you expect me to do? Give you a medal?"

"Gah!" Jack fell back onto the grass, panting from his efforts to remove the shoes. He sat up, glaring fiercely at Bunnymund and Sophie. "Enjoy it now, Bunnymund, because if you thought the Blizzard of '68 was bad, wait until I–"

Sophie cleared her throat. "Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I'm the only one who can get those shoes off of you – you can thank North for that little side affect. So unless you want those things on for the next century, you _won't _be creating any blizzards that could ruin Easter. You won't bother Bunnymund at all, in fact."

Bunnymund looked like a child on Christmas Day, his face hopeful and triumphant. Jack was flabbergasted for a good minute, and then his face stretched into a positively gleeful smile. It reeked of mischief, but then again, mischief was Jack's middle name, so Sophie didn't think too much of it.

"Alright, deal. I won't mess with Easter or Bunnymund. Happy?"

"Very," Sophie said smugly, and made to turn away from Jack, but then he spoke.

"You forgot one little thing though. I can't mess with Easter or Bunny, but I _can_ mess with you!"

Jack's arm was around Sophie in an instant, and before Sophie could do so much as shriek, the winter spirit took to the sky.

"Frost!" Bunnymund yelled angrily, but the pooka was soon a small dot in a large mass of green. Sophie's head spun, and she buried her head into Jack's shoulder and locked her arms around his neck, struggling to contain the feelings of nausea. Jack's arm was a solid weight around her waist, and she melded herself to him.

"Put me _down_, Jack Frost, or so help me I will _never_ take those shoes off!" she bellowed into his ear, keeping her eyes firmly closed.

Jack laughed, and Sophie could feel the sound vibrating throughout his chest.

"But I'm having way too much fun!" he laughed, the wind catching his voice and sweeping it away before it got too loud.

"Please, Jack, please, please put me down," Sophie pleaded, tightening her hold around Jack's neck and praying for him to stop. The speed at which they were flying was making her stomach churn.

"Are you going to take these shoes off of me?" Jack asked, pausing in his flight. Sophie opened her eyes to glare at him, pointedly not looking down.

"Not until you let me go!"

Jack leaned closer, so close that Sophie could feel the icy nip of his breath against her face, so close that she could count the faint freckles on his nose. His lips parted to reveal perfectly white, pearly teeth, glittering in the sunlight.

"Ooh, poor choice of words," he murmured, and Sophie realized what he was going to do a second before he did it. She only had a moment to panic and to regret ever trying to get even with Jack Frost, the trickster of all tricksters.

And then Jack let her go.

There were no words to describe the absolute fear that filled Sophie as she fell towards the earth, an earth that she couldn't even see because of all the clouds. Her eyes were wide, her hair streamed behind her, and her arms were spread as wide as they could go. She wasn't screaming; the time for that was past.

She was afraid. So very afraid. It was a dark sort of fear, clinging to her chest and stripping everything else away–

_"The thing about magic is that in order for it to work, ya have to believe in it."_

Suddenly, as suddenly as Jack had dropped her, a strange feeling of weightlessness surrounded her entire body. In an instant, the fear was gone, and Sophie's mind recalled that feeling of restlessness back in the Warren, that desire to fly and touch the clouds.

_"If you believe in y'self, the magic will be there."_

Sophie closed her eyes. She could feel the magic inside of her, swirling around and waiting to be tapped into. It wasn't human; it was completely foreign and _alive_. Sophie wanted to recoil from it, but was that what she really wanted, or was that the human Sophie Bennett talking?

Sophie wasn't human. She had stopped being a human on New Years Day, when she awoke in one of Bunnymund's tunnels. Sophie wasn't human, so why should she be limited like one? She wanted to fly, so…what was stopping her?

Nothing.

The wind stopped moving, and Sophie felt the magic supporting her entire body, keeping her aloft. She slowly opened her eyes, and smiled at the white mist that was the clouds. She reached out, and let her fingers sink through the clouds, feeling the cold moisture and reveling in it.

"Well that was unexpected," Jack declared. Sophie glanced over to where he was hovering, his eyes locked on her. He seemed to come to himself a moment later, and grinned.

"You really should be thanking me, you know. Two times I've dragged you away from the furry grump-monster down there, and both times you discovered a new part of your magic. Admit it, I'm one heck of an influence."

Sophie laughed, and tensed up as she faltered; it was harder to maintain the balance of magic holding her up than she thought it would be. She wobbled slightly, and would have fallen if not for Jack grabbing her hands. He wasn't cold at all, that pleasant neutral temperature Sophie was beginning to associate with Jack Frost.

"It takes a bit of getting used to, the whole balancing thing. After a while, it'll be easier than breathing."

"Somehow I doubt that," Sophie muttered under her breath, and Jack rolled his eyes.

"Sure, that seems smart, doubt the three-hundred and thirty year old guy whose been flying for_ all_ three-hundred and thirty of those years. How about I just let you figure it out, and you let me know how that works for you?" Jack suggested. Sophie noticed that even though he said that, his grip remained firm and steady.

Sophie hummed in thought. "That is an option. But another option is that you teach me how to fly properly, and I'll cut down your time in those shoes to a month."

"A month?! I threw you over _one _teeny, tiny bridge!"

"You _knew_ I was afraid of heights!"

"I was trying to help you get over your fear, where's the harm in that?"

"You were laughing the entire time!"

"…You get three days, _tops._"

"Three weeks."

"Didn't you hear me? I said three _days_."

"A week and a half. That's my final offer."

"…"

"…"

"Ugh, _fine_. A week and a half it is."


End file.
